Rapeseed Oil

[LilyJo]

Hi guys

Quick one - at a Christmas Fair today I was offered a local supply of rapeseed oil but I have never used it in soap before.

Our usual recipe is Olive, Shea, Coconut, Caster and sometimes Sweet Almond, is Rapeseed a straight swap for any one them or would it require a massive rethink of my receipe

Thanks

 

[Scooter]

Isn't rapeseed oil the same as Canola?

Edit: Also, running this through a good lye calculator should give you a decent answer I would think.

Scooter

 

[LilyJo]

I dont know we dont have Canola!

Just wondered from someone first hand rather than rely on on soap calculator - which i would obviously do before I made it as I know I would have to adjust lye etc.

 

[DeeAnna]

It's not quite the same -- canola is a type of rapeseed that has been bred to have lower erucic acid levels, so it's palatable for humans to eat. I don't think I've ever seen rapeseed sold in US grocery stores. The saponification values are the same for both types.

Standard rapeseed/canola is high in linoleic acid. It is most similar to sweet almond, based on what I see in soapcalc.

There is a high oleic canola (not sure if there's a HO rapeseed) that would be a reasonable sub for either olive or almond.

 

[LilyJo]

Thank you, am going to see the owner tomorrow so will ask her a but more but it does sound as though it might be worth considering.

What I like its its local and relatively unprocessed - obviously its food grade so it has to have been processed somehow but being made by a small local producer has got to be better than large scale global manufacturers. So, if I could use it rather than one of my other oils that would make m every happy!

 

[penelopejane]

A lot of people have found that rapeseed/canola causes DOS.
High Oleic is a bit better.

 

[LilyJo]

Have done a bit of research now Im home and I am beginning to think there has been some confusion between rapeseed and Canola over the years which has left me totally confused!

UK/EU rapeseed is, I think, different to Canola - from my understanding Canola is a) GMO and b)processed differently which is why its called Canola.

I like the fact that if I can use it its non-GM but the air miles bit is the thing that matters most to me. I guess the only way I am going to know is to try a batch with some local rapeseed and see what happens - if i get DOS I might just have to make bath oil or something else instead!

 

[DeeAnna]

While Roundup-Ready canola is indeed a GMO, not all canola is. Canola is simply a variety of rapeseed with lower erucic acid levels and was originally developed by classic plant breeding methods.

 

[Soapmaker145]

Find out if it is "wild type" rapeseed. If it is, it will have about 50% monounsaturated long chain fatty acids. Think C20 and longer. It would be more similar to meadowfoam than olive oil. It won't be a substitute for any of the oils listed. You will have to test to see if you like the feel. IIRC, it has some potential toxicity and related regulations (in food) in the US and the EU. You need to dig deeper just in case it is regulated in soap too. I think Abyssinian oil is also similar.

If it is canola, then you're safe. You can substitute about 10% for the olive oil. It took me forever to try canola and I now think of it as a luxury oil. I've used up to 20% and haven't seen a hint of DOS in soaps that are over a year old.