Quality of Canadian Soybean, oilseed-type 2016

Fatty acid composition

Table 3 shows fatty acid composition for the combined No. 1 and 2 grade composites from the various provinces. This year, the fatty acid composition variation between provinces was reduced compared to last year. Linolenic acid (C18:2), the main fatty acid found in soybean oil, averaged 53.1% and ranged from 52.6 to 55.1% , whereas last years average was 52.8% with a range from 52.0 to 58.8%. Oleic acid, the second most important soybean fatty acid, averaged 22.7% in 2016 and was identical to what was observed in 2015. The other important unsaturated fatty acid, α-linolenic acid (C18:3), averaged 8.2% in 2016 (8.5% in 2015) and ranged from 7.5 to 10.3%. Total saturates averaged 15.3% in Canada varying from 14.6% (Prince Edward Island) to 15.5% (Québec and Saskatchewan).

Iodine value is used to estimate the level of fatty acid unsaturation in soil; the higher the number of double bonds in the oil the higher the iodine value and the level of unsaturation. For 2016 the α-linolenic acid average was slightly higher than last year; this is reflected in the iodine values being very similar to last year, 113.2 units in 2016 versus 133.7 units in 2015. Figure 6 presents the iodine value trend since 2009 for eastern Canada (Québec and Ontario) and western Canada (Manitoba and Saskatchewan) and the overall Canadian averages. The yearly variations are a reflection of the environmental differences which includes geography (temperature and precipitation being very different between eastern and western Canada).

The Canadian averages are weighted by production data. Up until 2015 eastern Canada was growing over twice the amount of soybean thanwestern Canada, therefore Canadian averages were weighted towards eastern averages. In 2016 eastern Canada produced only about 1.7 times more soybean than western Canada. If production keeps increasing in the west the Canadian averages will reflect both production areas equally.