Formulation

Sunflower Ingredients Shine

August 20, 2008

5 Min Read

Sunflower, America’s native plant, is being rediscovered by American consumers and the food industry. A decade ago, 80% of the sunflower produced in the United States was exported. Today, 80% of the crop is used in North America, primarily due to changes in labeling requirements and significant changes in the fatty-acid structure of sunflower seed and oil.

New suns rising

Today, there are three types of sunflower oil produced in the United States: the traditional type is high in linoleic acid; NuSun® is a mid-oleic oil with good balance between oleic and linoleic acids; and high-oleic is primarily oleic acid (see table, “Types of Domestic Sunflower Oils”).

It is estimated that close to 90% of the 2 million acres of oil-type sunflower produced in North America are NuSun, with the remainder divided between high-oleic and traditional. The switch to oleic acid was in response to trans-fat labeling requirements and food industry demand for naturally stable oils. U.S. geneticists accomplished the task of switching to oleic-acid seeds through traditional plant-breeding techniques.

The advantage of NuSun or high-oleic sunflower oil over the traditional type is that additional oleic acid provides good stability, thus eliminating the need for hydrogenation. NuSun is now a primary ingredient in many salty snacks, such as potato or corn chips, as the oil stands up well to the rigorous frying requirements for salty snacks. The oil is low in saturated fatty acids, as well, making NuSun especially desirable among Canadian food manufacturers who have more-restrictive labeling requirements in terms of total trans and saturates than their U.S. counterparts.

Sunflower oil is considered “taste-neutral.” In other words, the oil is quite bland and will not overpower the natural taste of the foods being fried. Researchers describe a ‘pleasant’ fried flavor.

High-oleic sunflower oil is considered a specialty oil and is used in products requiring very high stability and long shelf life. One user is New York Fries, Toronto, Ontario, a mall-based franchise that fresh-cuts potato wedges and fries them for each customer. Stability, bland flavor and extended use of oil in the all-day frying vats are all reasons why this customer selected the oil.

Traditional, or linoleic, sunflower oil continues to be produced in small quantities in the United States for specific customers with specific needs. High-linoleic oil is not used for commercial frying purposes, since its stability is compromised by the unstable linoleic acid.

In oil, a balance between the fatty acids is important for performance, as well as in the diet. A controlled human-feeding trial led by Penny Kris-Etherton, Ph.D., distinguished professor, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, found that substituting 2 tablespoons of NuSun sunflower oil daily in place of saturated fat had a significantly greater cholesterol-lowering effect than substituting a similar amount of olive oil. The reason is likely the balance between the oleic and linoleic fatty acids, and the considerably lower level of saturated fat in sunflower oil compared to olive oil (Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 2005; 105(7):1,080-1,086).

Seeds of growth

Within the seed and nut category, the sunflower seed is gaining new respect as a healthy and inexpensive addition to breads and a host of other products. One selling point is that sunflower-seed allergies are quite rare. This has prompted one company, SunGold Foods, Fargo, ND, to produce a sunflower butter that is finding wide reception in school foodservice.

Sunflower seed is relatively unknown in terms of its nutritional package. Compared to other nuts, sunflower seed is near or at the top of the class in levels of vitamin B6, folate, vitamin E, thiamin, magnesium, copper, iron, fiber and zinc (USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference). The seeds’oil content is the NuSun type, with a good balance of oleic and linoleic acids, and saturates less than 10%.

The seed can be used raw, roasted and flavored with honey or any assortment of spices. Multigrain breads generally include sunflower seeds to add nutrition, as well as for a subtle crunch and pleasant mouthfeel and flavor. Snyder’s of Hanover, Hanover, PA, combines sunflower seeds and whole grains to produce a line of multigrain sunflower chips. Sunshine Burgers, Ellenville, NY, produces and markets a vegetarian burger made primarily of ground sunflower seeds. The product is free of soy, dairy, wheat and gluten.

In the past, short shelf life due to oxidation was a challenge for those using sunflower seeds as an ingredient. But this has been mitigated with advances in storage and packing. Plus, with the onset of NuSun and high-oleic seeds, the fatty-acid content is providing better shelf life, as well.

Larry Kleingartner is the executive director of the (USA) National Sunflower Association, a grower/industry group involved is all aspects of the crop, from production to market development. He is also editor of The Sunflower magazine, and was inducted into the ND Agriculture Hall of Fame in 2008. Contact him at [email protected].

Types of Domestic Sunflower Oils