Breeding for fatty acid composition of soybean oil

Genetic modification of soybean oil has been achieved by conventional and transgenic methods. Conventional soybean oil has approximately 12% palmitic acid, 4% stearic acid, 27% oleic acid, 50% linoleic acid, and 7% linolenic acid. Genetic variants have been developed that have 3.5% palmitic acid, 40% palmitic acid, 28% stearic acid, 80% oleic acid, and 1% linolenic acid. Cultivars with reduced palmitic acid, elevated oleic acid, or reduced linolenic acid have been grown commercially on a limited number of hectares in the United States. A low-saturate oil with 3.5% palmitic acid content has been sold commercially in the USA since 1997 to reduce saturated fat in the diet. Soybean oil with 80% oleic acid is grown commercially in the USA for use in biolubricants. A 1%-linolenic acid oil currently is under evaluation by the food industry as a possible means of eliminating the need for partial hydrogenation of oil. Soybean genotypes with elevated palmitic acid and stearic acid have not been grown commercially.