ARCHIVED - NuSunTM MID-OLEIC SUNFLOWER OIL
Novel Food Information
Health Canada has notified Archer Daniels Midland Company that it has no objection to the food use of NuSunTM mid-oleic sunflower oil. The Department conducted a comprehensive assessment of NuSunTM mid-oleic sunflower oil according to its Guidelines for the Safety Assessment of Novel Foods. These Guidelines are based upon internationally accepted principles for establishing the safety of novel foods.
BACKGROUND:
The following provides a summary of Health Canada's assessment of Archer Daniels Midland Company's notification to the Department and contains no confidential business information.
1. Introduction
Archer Daniels Midland Company has developed NuSunTM sunflower hybrids with a mid-oleic phenotype. Mid-oleic sunflower oils have a number of beneficial properties with respect to a longer shelf life and increased stability during frying. This oil falls outside the standard for sunflower oil in the Food and Drug Regulations with respect to iodine value, refractive index and relative density.
2. Development and Production of the Modified Plant
NuSunTM hybrids have been produced by breeding a traditional sunflower line that is low in oleic acid with a high-oleic acid sunflower line, resulting in a hybrid cultivar that falls within a mid-oleic range. These hybrids were developed by conventional breeding, therefore no novel DNA has been introduced to achieve the mid-oleic phenotype.
This Novel Food Information document has been prepared to summarize the opinion regarding the subject product provided by the Food Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch, Health Canada. This opinion is based upon the comprehensive review of information submitted by the petitioner according to the Guidelines for the Safety Assessment of Novel Foods.
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3. Product Information
4. Dietary Exposure
5. Nutrition
6. Toxicology
CONCLUSION:
Health Canada's review of the information presented in support of the food use of NuSunTM mid-oleic sunflower oil, concluded that this oil does not raise any concerns related to human food safety. Health Canada is of the opinion that NuSunTM mid-oleic sunflower oil is as safe as oils derived from current commercial sunflower varieties, differing only in nutritional quality due to its intentionally modified fatty acid profile. Health Canada's opinion deals solely with respect to the suitability for sale as human food of NuSunTM mid-oleic sunflower oil.
It should be noted that since the fatty acid profile differs from traditional sunflower oil, the common name used on labels including in ingredient lists should reflect this difference. The issue of mid-oleic sunflower oils not meeting the standard for sunflower oil in the Food and Drug Regulations could be addressed by applying the modified common name. Nutrition labelling will also assist consumers in choosing foods including sunflower oils with varying fatty acid composition.
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