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Abstract
Oil quality in vegetable oils is determined by both nutritional and functional aspects, which are, in turn, primarily determined by the fatty acid profile (i.e., fatty acid composition) of the oil. The naturally occurring fatty acid composition of Brassica oils has been extensively modified using conventional plant breeding and biotechnology-based techniques to create unique and improved quality vegetable oils. New Brassica cultivars displaying a wide range of edible oil qualities have been developed, and commercialized in recent years. Improved Brassica cultivars which produce an industrial oil have also been developed and commercialized in the last two decades. World vegetable oil markets are highly competitive, so the steady improvement in oil quality of the Brassica oilseeds is essential to maintain or increase market share, and/or to create new niche markets. The main challenges facing Brassica oilseed breeders are (1) to determine the desirable fatty acid profiles of the oil for each end-use market application to create improved oils and (2) to quickly develop improved Brassica cultivars which can produce the new fatty acid profile oils at competitive prices.