Canola Protein Isolate and Cruciferin-rich Canola Protein Isolate

In 2022, Health Canada received a submission to allow the sale of a canola protein isolate (CPI) and a cruciferin-rich canola protein isolate (CRCPI) for use as food ingredients to replace protein found in a wide variety of foods. CPI and CRCPI are high protein powders derived from canola seeds. CRCPI is enriched in cruciferin protein, which is one of the major types of protein found in canola seed.

In order to determine whether these protein isolates could be sold in Canada as food, scientists at Health Canada with expertise in molecular biology, microbiology, toxicology, chemistry, allergies, and nutrition conducted a thorough analysis of the data and the protocols provided by the applicant to ensure the validity of the results. To ensure that CPI and CRCPI are safe for consumption, the scientists considered how these products were developed, their nutritional composition, whether they could be toxic or cause allergic reactions, and their predicted dietary exposure in the Canadian population.

Following this assessment, it was determined that CPI and CRCPI are safe for the general population. However, as canola belongs to the same family of plants as mustard, individuals with mustard allergies may react to proteins present in the product. For this reason, the manufacturer will label CPI and CRCPI with a statement indicating that the product may not be suitable for people with mustard allergy. Health Canada recommends that people with mustard allergies should not consume canola protein.

Related content:

• Technical summary