Quality of Canadian Soybean, oilseed-type 2018

6. Free fatty acid content

Grade composites of Soybean, No. 1 Canada and Soybean, No. 2 Canada showed free fatty acid levels averaging 0.15% in 2018. This is similar to last year’s results (0.13%).

High free fatty acid values are mainly due to seed damage which results from exposure to moisture and oxygen, wet harvesting conditions and improper storage. Free fatty acid levels could increase during storage due to storage and environmental conditions.

Chlorophyll and Free fatty acid contents of the oil of the 2018 soybean survey by province and grade
Province Number of samples Chlorophyll Free Fatty AcidFootnote 1
Mg/Kg %, in oil
Soybean, No. 1 Canada and Soybean No. 2 Canada
Manitoba 110 0.8 0.13
Saskatchewan 28 0.7 0.14
Alberta 1 0.4 0.05
Western Canada 139 0.8 0.14
Ontario 153 0.3 0.15
Québec 30 0.3 0.20
Central Canada 183 0.3 0.16
Prince Edward Island 4 0.5 0.24
New Brunswick 3 0.3 0.35
Nova Scotia NAFootnote 3 - -
Maritimes 7 0.5 0.27
Canada 329 0.4 0.15
Soybean, No. 3
Western Canada 26 2.5 0.08
Eastern CanadaFootnote 2 6 0.9 0.17
Canada 32 2.2 0.1
Soybean, No. 4
Western Canada 13 2.9 0.14
Eastern Canada NA - -
Canada 13 2.9 0.14
Soybean, No. 5
Western Canada 16 4.3 0.13
Eastern Canada NA - -
Canada 16 4.3 0.13
Soybean, Sample
Western Canada 12 8.8 0.25
Eastern Canada NA - -
Canada 12 8.8 0.25