Flaxseed oil
Flaxseed oil is pressed from the seeds of flax (Linum usitatissimum). Food and supplement grades are usually cold pressed and filtered, with little or no further refining, because heat speeds oxidation. It is high in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which makes it one of the least stable common oils. Brands buy it in bulk for softgels, bottled oils and blends.
Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.
Mechanically pressed and filtered oil, the standard food and supplement grade.
Oil from certified organic flaxseed, widely available.
Oil that retains some seed particulate to carry lignans, sold with a stated lignan content.
Oil microencapsulated on a carrier for dry blends and capsules.
Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.
Keep sealed, refrigerated and protected from light, with a nitrogen headspace in bulk containers. Flaxseed oil has a short shelf life compared with most vegetable oils, and suppliers set it in their specification, often only months for opened stock. Retest peroxide value before using aged lots.
ALA content and oxidation values vary with seed crop and pressing date, so record the pressing or manufacture date along with the COA values. Buy in amounts you can use quickly and rotate strictly first-in, first-out.
Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.
Health Canada's flaxseed oil monograph lists the seed of Linum usitatissimum as the source material, with flax oil, flaxseed oil and linseed oil as common names.
Source: webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca (opens in a new tab)GRN 256, for high linolenic acid flaxseed oil notified by Polar Foods, Inc., closed with FDA having no questions.
Source: hfpappexternal.fda.gov (opens in a new tab)This is general information, not regulatory advice. Status differs by country and by how the ingredient is used, so check the rules for your product and market.
Manufacturers and distributors whose own websites say they sell it.
Manufacturer · Saskatoon, Canada
Canadian supplier of plant and marine oils, coconut and MCT oils, seeds and proteins in bulk and finished formats for food, supplement and pet nutrition brands.
Suppliers are in alphabetical order and none pays to appear. Each claim is checked against the supplier’s own website on the date shown. Ask for the specification sheet and a recent COA before you order, and confirm details with the supplier.
Common forms include cold-pressed oil, organic, high-lignan and powder. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.
Expect fatty acid profile, free fatty acids and peroxide value, anisidine value, heavy metals and pesticide residues, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.
Keep sealed, refrigerated and protected from light, with a nitrogen headspace in bulk containers. Flaxseed oil has a short shelf life compared with most vegetable oils, and suppliers set it in their specification, often only months for opened stock. Retest peroxide value before using aged lots.
Health Canada's flaxseed oil monograph lists the seed of Linum usitatissimum as the source material, with flax oil, flaxseed oil and linseed oil as common names. GRN 256, for high linolenic acid flaxseed oil notified by Polar Foods, Inc., closed with FDA having no questions.
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