Rapeseed Business to strike gold with healthy option

Northern Ireland's Broighter Gold Rapeseed Oil is aiming to persuade cooks to opt for a healthy culinary alternative.

The small company, a farm enterprise located on land where Ireland's greatest hoard of Celtic gold from the Iron Age, now held at the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin, was found in 1896, has launched a new rapeseed cooking oil in distinctive 500ml bottles.

Broighter Gold Rapeseed has been developed by a husband and wife farming team, Richard and Leona Kane, on their 650 acre Broglasco farm at Limavady in County Derry.

Around 100 acres is used to grow the rapeseed that the couple are cold pressing to create Broighter Gold Rapeseed Oil, a premium cooking oil, and distributing to delis, farm shops and independent retailers. Inquiries are also being received from outside Northern Ireland through the company's online shop.

The arable farm, which also produces crops of wheat, barley and potatoes, has been owned by the Kane family for over 100 years.

Leona Kane says: "Diversifying into rapeseed oil made sound business sense to us because of experience gained growing rapeseed for many years. We were encouraged to start pressing the oil because its health benefits are being recognised increasingly by leading chefs and ordinary consumers.

"This is because the oil is rich in Omega 3,6,9, essential fatty acids and vitamin E, which help reduce cholesterol and cardiac conditions. As well as health benefits, rapeseed oil combines taste and cooking performance.

"Because of its low content of saturated fat and high content of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, rapeseed oil is now being used in cooking, for salad oils, dressings and mayonnaise," she adds.

The rapeseed oil is a natural product that's free from preservatives and artificial colourings. It has the lowest saturated fat content of any cooking oil and half the saturated fat of olive oil.

The oil is produced without any of the heat treatments, solvents or anti-frothing agents that may be used in the processing of refined oils and which can affect their goodness and taste.

It is also one of the few "single" oils that can be heated to deep-frying temperature without its antioxidants, character, colour and flavour spoiling.