Mustard quality report released for 2011 crop

WINNIPEG, March 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – How do overseas customers learn about
the quality of Canada’s mustard crops? Through the Canadian Grain
Commission’s annual harvest and export quality reports.  The 2011
harvest quality report for western Canadian mustard is now available at
www.grainscanada.gc.ca.

“Our harvest quality reports are a valuable source of information for
our customers,” explains Véronique Barthet, Program Manager of Oilseeds
for the Canadian Grain Commission’s Grain Research Laboratory.
“Customers rely on these reports to help them make decisions about
buying Canadian mustard.”

Researchers looked at these quality parameters:

        --  Oil content
        --  Protein content
        --  Glucosinolate content
        --  Fatty acid composition
        --  Saturated fatty acids
        --  Iodine value
        --  Chlorophyll content

Harvest quality reports are used to market Canadian mustard to domestic
and export customers. Quality data describe to export customers how
Canadian mustard will perform in various end-use products. For example,
Canadian producers grow 3 different kinds of mustard: yellow, brown and
oriental. Yellow mustard is milder tasting and used to make hotdog
mustard. Brown mustard is spicier and used to make coarse textured
mustards like deli-style mustards and Dijon mustard. Oriental mustard
is the spiciest variety. To understand how spicy a particular mustard
crop is, customers look at the glucosinolate content. The higher the
content, the spicier the mustard will taste.

The Canadian Grain Commission is the federal agency responsible for
establishing and maintaining Canada’s grain quality standards. Its
programs result in shipments of grain that consistently meet contract
specifications for quality, safety and quantity. The Canadian Grain
Commission regulates the grain industry to protect producers’ rights
and ensure the integrity of grain transactions.

SOURCE Canadian Grain Commission