Linseed Silesia, Diverse Crops for Diverse Diets. New Solutions to Increase Dietary Lipids in Crop Species

Abstract

The aim of the work was to compare the new variety of oil flax (Silesia) with already cultivated varieties in terms of plant productivity, oil content, fatty acid composition and significant secondary metabolites. The analyzed linseed varieties are characterized by low (Linola), medium (Silesia) and high (Szafir) content of omega-3 fatty acids. Special attention was paid to the quality of the oil and the characteristics that determine its stability (reduction of susceptibility to oxidation). A number of antioxidant compounds of secondary metabolism (simple phenols, phenolic acids, flavonoids, tannins) were identified in the linseed oils. All of these compounds can affect lipid oxidation by a mechanism that attenuates initiating radicals such as hydroxyl or forms an oxidizing primary product such as peroxides. Chelation of metal ions may also be involved in lipid oxidation. We propose a mechanism that encompasses all these processes and facilitates understanding of the complex relationships between them. The general thesis is that the ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acids is associated with a better metabolic state of flaxseed, and thus with a higher nutritional value. In addition, we find a number of specialized secondary metabolites characteristic of the flax studied, which could be useful for chemotaxonomy.