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Sunflower crop quality survey results:

2018/19 production season

By Jolanda Nortjé, manager: laboratory, Southern African Grain Laboratory NPC

he absence of or an incomplete accommodate the range of the fatty ranges for authenticity identification are
or outdated database when acid in question. determined in order to successfully validate
decisions need to be taken, After a literature search, the American the authenticity of a specific vegetable oil.
can cause significant problems database proved that wide ranges for the Annual analysis of crop and cultivar
T to the industry. This was the specific fatty acid were acceptable since samples will ensure that the natural
main reason for the Oil and Protein Seeds certain factors, including drought, could variation caused by different cultivars,
Development Trust’s decision to fund the lead to the fatty acid having increased as well as the influence of climate and
annual sunflower crop quality surveys acceptable ranges. The seed containing locality, are included and reflected in
eight years ago. It is, however, imperative the fatty acid, which was out of range, the database values. Seasonal variations
to regularly review the scope of analysis was produced during a particularly will also be addressed. Recording all
included in these surveys to ensure that dry season, explaining the wide range. the variations applicable to the crops
it meets the needs of the industry. If a national database were kept and in the database, will enable the annual
Precision Oil Laboratories, a laboratory maintained, the time and money lost review of the specified ranges.
that provides testing, training and by the industry as a result of rejected Precision Oil Laboratories was
consultation services to the oil industry, was batches could have been avoided. subcontracted to perform fatty acid
consulted by a large seed-oil producer in It is important that South Africa, as profile analyses on 20 composite crop
South Africa to determine if an unexpected a sunflower seed producing country, samples representing different production
variation of one of the fatty acids in a develops and maintains a national fatty regions, as well as 20 cultivar samples from
sunflower seed batch was acceptable. acid profile database to the benefit of the different localities supplied by the ARC
After extraction of the sunflower oil, oilseeds industry. The inclusion of fatty Grain Crops. A total of 20 different fatty
it was rejected by a food processing acid profile analyses from the 2018/19 acids were included in the profile analysis.
company, indicating that one of the fatty production season is an important
acids was not within their specification. addition to the annual crop quality Sampling of crops
In the absence of an updated national surveys conducted by the Southern A total of 176 composite samples
database for the fatty acid composition of African Grain Laboratory NPC (SAGL). representing sunflower seed harvested
sunflower oil, the Codex Alimentarius was and delivered to various delivery points
consulted, but Building a fatty acid profile database throughout the sunflower production
it did not Fatty acid profiles are the most important regions of South Africa during the second
tool for identifying the authenticity of quarter of 2019, were selected to resemble
vegetable fats and oils. All types of oil the proportions per province according
have their own specific fatty acid profile, to the Crop Estimates Committee’s
which is a combination of saturated, production estimates as closely as possible.
monounsaturated and polyunsaturated A total of 133 (76%) of the samples
oils and unique to that product/crop. were graded as Grade FH1 according to
The fatty acid profiles of every crop, the Regulations relating to the grading,
however, are subject to variation. packing and marking of sunflower seed
The variation or typical pattern of fatty intended for sale in the Republic of South
acids in a specific oil not only influences Africa (Government Notice No 45 of
the stability and physical properties of the 22 January 2016). The percentage FH1
oil, but also aids in distinguishing one type samples decreased compared to the 81%
of oil from another. The variation of fatty of the previous season. In the 2016/17
acids within the same product depend season, this percentage was 85%.
on climate, latitude, soil type, cultivar, A total of 43 samples were downgraded
rainfall as well as seasonal variation. to ‘Class Other Sunflower Seed’. The main
These variations should be included when reason for downgrading the samples was

32 June 2020