The term hydrogen-ation simply refers to the addition of hydrogen to a fatty acid to make it more saturated. Hydrogenation of vegetable oils results in a higher pro-portion of saturated fatty acids as well as the conversion of some of the fatty acids in the oil to trans fatty acids. It is now possible for food companies to make stick margarines and baked goods and to deep-fat fry using a new canola oil. Like regular canola oil now available to consumers in supermarkets, this new canola oil is low in saturated fat. It differs from regular canola oil by being low in alpha-linolenic acid, a polyunsaturated fatty acid that tends to change into a trans fatty acid during the manufacture of margarine and baked goods.
Food products made with the new canola oil still have the pleasant taste of regular canola oil.
Moreover, they retain their good taste when placed on store shelves for a long period of time. And they contain no trans fatty acids. The new canola oil can also be used in a variety of fried food products. Some, but not all, studies have reported that trans fatty acids reduce HDL-cholesterol. On other measures of heart disease risk, however, trans fatty acids do not show adverse effects.