A well balanced omega-6/omega-3 ratio in developing flax bolls after heating and its implications for use as a fresh vegetable by humans

Flax seed (Linum usitatissimum L.) can be used for both industrial and food products including a wide variety of nutraceuticals and health foods and for which a restricted and specific fatty acid (FA) profile is required. As functional foods, flax meal is provided to humans in the form of ground vacuum-packed grains or flaxseed-enriched baked products. However, no reports are yet available on the potential food use for fresh flax products. A comparative study was conducted using two flax cultivars, AC McDuff and Linola, to evaluate FA accumulation in developing bolls at 12 different developmental stages and to determine stages having well balanced omega-6/omega-3 FA ratio. The lipid hydroperoxide level in fresh bolls and seeds, and the cyanogenic glucoside content in developing bolls were also measured in AC McDuff following different heating treatments. The findings indicated and suggested that the use of flax bolls as health promoting vegetable can be considered if adequately processed and palatable food attributes are obtained.