Camelina oil
Camelina oil or False flax oil is a pressed seed oil, derived from the Camelina sativa or false flax, also called gold of pleasure. False flax has long been grown in Europe, and its oil used as a lamp oil until the 18th century. In recent times, it has been explored for use in cosmetic and skin care products.[1] It has a high content of omega-3 and is used as a food supplement by some cultures. It is registered under the name "Olej rydzowy tradycyjny" as a Traditional Speciality Guaranteed product in the European Union[2] and the United Kingdom.[3]
In the United States the Food and Drug Administration has accepted the oil as self-affirmed GRAS status.[4] False flax belongs to the Brassicaceae (mustard and cabbage) family, which also contains many other seed oil plants, such as rapeseed. Typically it contains 1–3% erucic acid but several Camelina Sativa varieties with erucic acid content of less than 1% have been introduced.[5]
The seeds contain an average of 37% by weight of oil, and contain significant levels of the following fatty acids:[6]
| Component | Percentage | Category |
|---|---|---|
| Alpha-linolenic (ALA, 18:3) | 25.1–31.9% | Polyunsaturated, omega-3 |
| Oleic (18:1) | 14.3–18.9% | Monounsaturated, omega-9 |
| Linoleic (18:2) | 18.6–26.3% | Polyunsaturated, omega-6 |
| Gondoic (20:1) | 12.4–15.3% | Monounsaturated, omega-9 |
| Palmitic (16:0) | 6.1–7.6% | Saturated |
| Erucic (22:1) | 2.4–3.4% | Monounsaturated, omega-9 |
| Stearic (18:0) | 2.3–3.0% | Saturated |
References
- ^ Stanislas Crouzier. "Processing false flax (camelina) proteins and oils to be used as base materials in cosmetics and skin care products". Archived from the original on 13 November 2005.
- ^ "Olej rydzowy tradycyjny". European Union. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
- ^ "Olej rydzowy tradycyjny staropolska". UK Government. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
- ^ Program, Human Foods (6 September 2024). "Agency Response Letter GRAS Notice No. GRN 000642". FDA.
- ^ "Sampath, Anusha (2009), "Chemical Characterization of Camelina Seed Oil"". Retrieved 28 October 2025.
- ^ Rodríguez-Rodríguez, Manuel Fernando; Sánchez-García, Alicia; Salas, Joaquín J.; Garcés, Rafael; Martínez-Force, Enrique (October 2013). "Characterization of the morphological changes and fatty acid profile of developing Camelina sativa seeds". Industrial Crops and Products. 50: 673–679. doi:10.1016/j.indcrop.2013.07.042.