Study Highlights Canola Protein's Health Advantages

The study’s aim was to determine whether rapeseed protein, described by the study’s authors as “an emergent cysteine rich protein,” could inhibit the onset of the metabolic syndrome.

31/03/09 Burcon NutraScience Corporation has announced that further to the Canola Council of Canada’s March 11th announcement of an investment into research on the role of canola in the prevention and treatment of heart disease and diabetes, that Burcon’s Supertein canola protein isolate is uniquely rich in sulfur amino acids and particularly rich in cysteine. The typical cysteine content of Burcon’s Supertein is nearly double that of whey protein, which is recognized for its high cysteine content.

The exceptional cysteine content of canola protein (rapeseed protein) has long been of interest to nutritional scientists. A potential link between canola protein’s high cysteine content and disease prevention has recently been reported in a study in the British Journal of Nutrition. The study’s aim was to determine whether rapeseed protein, described by the study’s authors as “an emergent cysteine rich protein,” could inhibit the onset of the metabolic syndrome. [Mariotti F, Hermier D, Sarrat C, Magné J, Fénart E, Evrard J, et al, Rapeseed protein inhibits the initiation of insulin resistance by a high-saturated fat, high-sucrose diet in rats. British Journal of Nutrition. 2008 Nov;100(5):984-91.].

The main finding of the study “is that rapeseed protein substituted for milk protein inhibited the onset of insulin resistance in rats fed the high-saturated fat, high-sucrose diet.” The authors further declared that rapeseed protein mitigated certain factors associated with metabolic syndrome: “The study’s result highlights the importance of the type of protein as a major component of diet quality, in terms of cardiovascular and diabetic risks.” They concluded that “the quality of dietary protein may be an underestimated parameter in dietary strategies against the metabolic syndrome.”

Metabolic syndrome is a combination of medical disorders that increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes. It affects one in five people, and prevalence increases with age. Some studies estimate the prevalence in the USA to be up to 25% of the population. [Ford ES, Giles WH, Dietz WH. Prevalence of metabolic syndrome among US adults: findings from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. JAMA. 2002 287(3):356-359.]

“We believe Supertein with its exciting level of cysteine poses an exceptional opportunity as a functional ingredient for use in a broad array of food and beverage applications.” stated Johann F. Tergesen, Burcon’s President & COO, who added, “Burcon is already investigating an opportunity to have similar scientific studies conducted using Supertein as the test material.”

Supertein is a highly soluble canola protein isolate with promising nutritional prospects and functional properties that include excellent solubility; the ability to form transparent and heat stable solutions in acid conditions; and foaming.

Since 1999, Burcon has developed a portfolio of composition, application, and process patents originating from our core protein extraction and purification technology. The company are developing the world's first commercial canola proteins, Puratein and Supertein with unique functional and nutritional attributes, and CLARISOY, a revolutionary soy protein isolate which is 100% soluble and completely transparent in acidic solutions.