This study investigated phenolic compounds and radical scavenging activities of rapeseed plants according to cultivar and growth stage. For 1st, 2nd, and 3rd harvested rapeseed plants, total polyphenol contents were 12.56~15.85, 10.28~13.17, and 9.94~16.01 mg gallic acid equivalents/g sample, respectively; total flavonoid contents were 9.86~11.05, 10.41~13.06, and 8.18~16.64 mg catechin equivalents/g sample, respectively; total chlorophyll contents were 17.26~21.66, 19.31~24.95, and 22.16~38.39 mg/g sample, respectively; and total glucosinolates contents were 31.13~46.22, 28.51~34.72, and 22.18~30.58 mg SE/g sample, respectively. DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities of rapeseed plants were 3.26~5.91 and 10.69~17.17 mg trolox equivalents/g sample, respectively. FRAP activities of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd harvested rapeseed plants were 142.88~63.93, 37.97~61.24, and 32.93~52.36 mM/g sample, respectively. Phenolic compounds and radical scavenging activities of rapeseed plants were found to be high in Halla, Yuryeo, and Yeongsan cultivars. Overall, phenolic compounds and radical scavenging activities of rapeseed plants tended to decrease as the harvest time was delayed. These results indicate that more research on functional ingredients and physiological activities of rapeseed plants is needed to diversify their fields of use.

Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) oil is mostly refined oil (RO). However, with increasing interest in health, the consumption of cold-pressed oil (CPO) without chemical refining is increasing in Korea. In this study, quality characteristics of CPO from rapeseed varieties ‘Jungmo7001’, ‘Jungmo7002’, ‘Jungmo7003’,and ‘Yuryeo’were evaluated and compared with RO, a commercial product. L-value and a-value were lower while b-value was significantly higher for CPO than those for RO. Analysis of fatty acid compositions of each oil revealed that CPO from ‘Yuryeo’contained the highest oleic acid at 74%. Analyses of contents of bioactive compounds in CPOs and RO revealed that contents of tocopherol, β-carotene, and canolol were the highest in CPOs from ‘Jungmo7003’, ‘Jungmo7002’, and ‘Jungmo7001’at 55.5, 0.3, and 0.2 mg/100 g, respectively. In addition, CPOs contained higher contents of bioactive compounds than RO, suggesting that CPO could provide health benefits. The induction period of CPOs measured using Rancimat were 9∼52% longer than that for RO, indicating that CPOs had a higher oxidative stability under given conditions. These results could be used to obtain basic data on quality of domestic rapeseed varieties.

In this study, quality properties of rapeseed oil by different roasting temperatures (140, 160, 180, and 200℃) were investigated. Roasted-pressed oil (RPO) showed a decrease in lightness and an increase in redness and yellowness with an increase in temperature compared to cold-pressed oil (CPO). In addition, the β-carotene and tocopherol content also increased in RPO as the roasting temperature increased. The tocopherol content increased by 18~20% in RPO at 200℃ compared to CPO. This increase in bioactive components led to improved radical scavenging activity dependent on roasting temperature, and RPO at 200°C showed a 2.7-fold improvement compared to CPO. Finally, it was observed that higher roasting temperatures resulted in an extended oxidation induction period, increasing by up to 3.3 times. In conclusion, roasting is an effective method for enhancing the oil functionality of domestic rapeseed varieties. This study provides basic data for producing high-quality oil.