Characterization of oil exhibiting high gamma-linolenic acid from a genetically transformed canola strain

The seed oil from a genetically transformed canola (Brassica napus) contain ing 43% (w/w) of gamma -linolenic acid (G, 18:3n-6), 22% linoleic acid (L, 18:2n-6), and 16% oleic acid (O, 18:1n-9) was evaluated. In this high gamma -linolenic acid canola oil (HGCO), the predominant 18:3n-6-containing tria cylglycerol (TG) molecular species were GCL (23%), GLO (20%), and GGG (11%) . In the total TG, approximately 75% of the 18:3n-6 was located at the sn-1 ,3 positions, while only 34% of linoleic acid was at the sn-1,3 positions. The GGL molecular species of HGCO contained approximately equal amounts of GLG and GGL positional isomers, while the CLO molecular species had 95% GOL and 5% GLO isomers. The general characteristics and the tocopherol and phy tosterol contents were mostly similar between HGCO and nontransformed canol a oil. No detectable amounts of amino acids and nucleotides were observed i n the HGCO.