Flax

Last updated

Flax
Kohler's Medizinal-Pflanzen in naturgetreuen Abbildungen mit kurz erlauterndem Texte (Plate 16) BHL303594.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malpighiales
Family: Linaceae
Genus: Linum
Species:
L. usitatissimum
Binomial name
Linum usitatissimum
L.
Synonyms [1]
  • Linum crepitans(Boenn.) Dumort.
  • Linum humileMill.
  • Linum indehiscens(Neilr.) Vavilov & Elladi

Flax, also known as common flax or linseed, is a flowering plant, Linum usitatissimum, in the family Linaceae. It is cultivated as a food and fiber crop in regions of the world with temperate climates. In 2022, France produced 75% of the world's supply of flax.

Contents

Textiles made from flax are known in English as linen, and are traditionally used for bed sheets, underclothes, and table linen. Its oil is known as linseed oil. In addition to referring to the plant, the word "flax" may refer to the unspun fibers of the flax plant.

The plant species is known only as a cultivated plant [2] and appears to have been domesticated just once from the wild species Linum bienne , called pale flax. [3] The plants called "flax" in New Zealand are, by contrast, members of the genus Phormium .

Description

Capsules Linum usitatissimum capsules, vlas zaadbollen.jpg
Capsules
Flowers Flax flowers.jpg
Flowers
Light-colored flower Linum usitatissimum 20230402.jpg
Light-colored flower

Several other species in the genus Linum are similar in appearance to L. usitatissimum, cultivated flax, including some that have similar blue flowers, and others with white, yellow, or red flowers. [4] Some of these are perennial plants, unlike L. usitatissimum, which is an annual plant.

Cultivated flax plants grow to 1.2 m (3 ft 11 in) tall, with slender stems. The leaves are glaucous green, slender lanceolate, 20–40 mm long, and 3 mm broad. [5]

The flowers are 15–25 mm in diameter with five petals, which can be colored white, blue, yellow, and red depending on the species. [5] The fruit is a round, dry capsule 5–9 mm in diameter, containing several glossy brown seeds shaped like apple pips, 4–7 mm long.

History

The earliest evidence of humans using wild flax as a textile comes from the present-day Republic of Georgia, where spun, dyed, and knotted wild flax fibers found in Dzudzuana Cave date to the Upper Paleolithic, 30,000 years ago. [6] [7] [8] Humans first domesticated flax in the Fertile Crescent region. [9] Evidence exists of a domesticated oilseed flax with increased seed-size from Tell Ramad in Syria [9] and flax fabric fragments from Çatalhöyük in Turkey [10] by c.9,000 years ago. Use of the crop steadily spread, reaching as far as Switzerland and Germany by 5,000 years ago. [11] In China and India, domesticated flax was cultivated at least 5,000 years ago. [12]

Flax was cultivated extensively in ancient Egypt, where the temple walls had paintings of flowering flax, and mummies were embalmed using linen. [13] Egyptian priests wore only linen, as flax was considered a symbol of purity. [14] Phoenicians traded Egyptian linen throughout the Mediterranean and the Romans used it for their sails. [15] As the Roman Empire declined, so did flax production. But with laws designed to publicize the hygiene of linen textiles and the health of linseed oil, Charlemagne revived the crop in the eighth century CE. [16] Eventually, Flanders became the major center of the European linen industry in the Middle Ages. [16] In North America, colonists introduced flax, and it flourished there, [12] but by the early 20th century, cheap cotton and rising farm wages had caused production of flax to become concentrated in northern Russia, which came to provide 90% of the world's output. Since then, flax has lost its importance as a commercial crop, due to the easy availability of more durable fibres. [17]

Uses

Brown flax seeds Brown Flax Seeds.jpg
Brown flax seeds
Golden flax seeds Flax seeds.jpg
Golden flax seeds
Golden flax seed meal Ground Golden Flax Seeds (8594315026).jpg
Golden flax seed meal

Flax is grown for its seeds, which can be ground into a meal or turned into linseed oil, a product used as a nutritional supplement and as an ingredient in many wood-finishing products. Flax is also grown as an ornamental plant in gardens. Moreover, flax fibers are used to make linen. The specific epithet in its binomial name, usitatissimum, means "most useful". [18]

Flax fibers taken from the stem of the plant are two to three times as strong as cotton fibers. Additionally, flax fibers are naturally smooth and straight. Europe and North America both depended on flax for plant-based cloth until the 19th century, when cotton overtook flax as the most common plant for making rag-based paper. Flax is grown on the Canadian prairies for linseed oil, which is used as a drying oil in paints and varnishes and in products such as linoleum and printing inks.

Linseed meal, the by-product of producing linseed oil from flax seeds, is used as livestock fodder. [19]

Flax seeds

Flax seeds occur in brown and yellow (golden) varieties. [20] Most types of these basic varieties have similar nutritional characteristics and equal numbers of short-chain omega-3 fatty acids. Yellow flax seeds, called solin (trade name "Linola"), [21] have a similar oil profile to brown flax seeds and both are very high in omega-3s (alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), specifically). [22] Flax seeds produce a vegetable oil known as flax seed oil or linseed oil, which is one of the oldest commercial oils. It is an edible oil obtained by expeller pressing and sometimes followed by solvent extraction. Solvent-processed flax seed oil has been used for many centuries as a drying oil in painting and varnishing. [23]

Although brown flax seed varieties may be consumed as readily as the yellow ones, and have been for thousands of years, these varieties are more commonly used in paints, for fiber, and for cattle feed.

Culinary

Bread rolls being topped with flax seeds before baking Linseed rolls crude.JPG
Bread rolls being topped with flax seeds before baking

A 100-gram portion of ground flax seed supplies about 2,234 kilojoules (534 kilocalories) of food energy, 41 g of fat, 28 g of fiber, and 20 g of protein. [24] Whole flax seeds are chemically stable, but ground flax seed meal, because of oxidation, may go rancid when left exposed to air at room temperature in as little as a week. [25] Refrigeration and storage in sealed containers will keep ground flax seed meal for a longer period before it turns rancid. Under conditions similar to those found in commercial bakeries, trained sensory panelists could not detect differences between bread made with freshly ground flax seed and bread made with flax seed that had been milled four months earlier and stored at room temperature. [26] If packed immediately without exposure to air and light, milled flax seed is stable against excessive oxidation when stored for nine months at room temperature, [27] and under warehouse conditions, for 20 months at ambient temperatures.[ citation needed ]

Three phenolic glucosidessecoisolariciresinol diglucoside, p-coumaric acid glucoside, and ferulic acid glucoside—are present in commercial breads containing flax seed. [28]

Fodder

After crushing the seeds to extract linseed oil, the resultant linseed meal is a protein-rich feed for ruminants, rabbits, and fish. [19] It is also often used as feed for swine and poultry, and has also been used in horse concentrate and dog food. [29] The high omega-3 fatty acid (ALA) content of linseed meal "softens" milk, eggs, and meat, which means it causes a higher unsaturated fat content and thus lowers its storage time. [19] The high omega-3 content also has a further disadvantage, because this fatty acid oxidises and goes rancid quickly, which shortens the storage time. Linola was developed in Australia and introduced in the 1990s with less omega-3, specifically to serve as fodder. [21] [30] Another disadvantage of the meal and seed is that it contains a vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) antagonist, and may require this vitamin be supplemented, especially in chickens, and furthermore linseeds contain 2–7% of mucilage (fibre), which may be beneficial in humans [19] and cattle, [29] but cannot be digested by non-ruminants and can be detrimental to young animals, unless possibly treated with enzymes. [19]

Linseed meal is added to cattle feed as a protein supplement. It can only be added at low percentages due to the high fat content, which is unhealthy for ruminants. [29] Compared to oilseed meal from crucifers it measures as having lower nutrient values, [19] however, good results are obtained in cattle, perhaps due to the mucilage, which may aid in slowing digestion and thus allowing more time to absorb nutrients. [19] [29] One study found that feeding flax seeds may increase omega-3 content in beef, while another found no differences. It might also act as a substitute for tallow in increasing marbling. [29] [31] In the US, flax-based feed for ruminants is often somewhat more expensive than other feeds on a nutrient basis. [32] Sheep feeding on low quality forage are able to eat a large amount of linseed meal, up to 40% in one test, with positive consequences. It has been fed as supplement to water buffaloes in India, and provided a better diet than forage alone, but not as good as when substituted with soy meal. It is considered an inferior protein supplement for swine because of its fibre, the vitamin antagonist, the high omega-3 content and its low lysine content, and can only be used in small amounts in the feed. Although it may increase the omega-3 content in eggs and meat, it is also an inferior and potentially toxic feed for poultry, although it can be used in small amounts. The meal is an adequate and traditional source of protein for rabbits at 8–10%. Its use in fish feeds is limited. [19]

Raw, immature linseeds contain an amount of cyanogenic compounds and can be dangerous for monogastric animals, like horses and rabbits. Boiling removes the danger. This is not an issue in meal cake due to the processing temperature during oil extraction. [19] [32]

Flax straw left over from the harvesting of oilseed is not very nutritious; it is tough and indigestible, and is not recommended to use as ruminant fodder, although it may be used as bedding or baled as windbreaks. [32]

Flax fibers

An 18th century heckling shop once used to prepare flax fibers. North Ayrshire, Scotland. Heckling Shop Irvine.JPG
An 18th century heckling shop once used to prepare flax fibers. North Ayrshire, Scotland.

Flax fiber is extracted from the bast beneath the surface of the stem of the flax plant. Flax fiber is soft, lustrous, and flexible; bundles of fiber have the appearance of blonde hair, hence the description "flaxen" hair. It is stronger than cotton fiber, but less elastic.

A flax field in bloom in North Dakota Flax field.JPG
A flax field in bloom in North Dakota

The use of flax fibers dates back tens of millennia; [6] linen, a refined textile made from flax fibers, was worn widely by Sumerian priests more than 4,000 years ago. [33] Industrial-scale flax fiber processing existed in antiquity. A Bronze Age factory dedicated to flax processing was discovered in Euonymeia, Greece. [34]

The best grades are used for fabrics such as damasks, lace, and sheeting. Coarser grades are used for the manufacturing of twine and rope, and historically, for canvas and webbing equipment. Flax fiber is a raw material used in the high-quality paper industry for the use of printed banknotes, laboratory paper (blotting and filter), rolling paper for cigarettes, and tea bags. [35]

Flax mills for spinning flaxen yarn were invented by John Kendrew and Thomas Porthouse of Darlington, England, in 1787. [36] New methods of processing flax have led to renewed interest in the use of flax as an industrial fiber.

Nutrition

Flax seeds
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy 2,234 kJ (534 kcal)
28.88 g
Sugars 1.55 g
Dietary fiber 27.3 g
Fat
42.16 g
Saturated 3.663 g
Monounsaturated 7.527 g
Polyunsaturated 28.730 g
22.8 g
5.9 g
18.29 g
Vitamins and minerals
Vitamins Quantity
%DV
Thiamine (B1)
137%
1.644 mg
Riboflavin (B2)
12%
0.161 mg
Niacin (B3)
19%
3.08 mg
Pantothenic acid (B5)
20%
0.985 mg
Vitamin B6
28%
0.473 mg
Folate (B9)
22%
87 μg
Vitamin C
1%
0.6 mg
Minerals Quantity
%DV
Calcium
20%
255 mg
Iron
32%
5.73 mg
Magnesium
93%
392 mg
Phosphorus
51%
642 mg
Potassium
27%
813 mg
Zinc
39%
4.34 mg
Other constituentsQuantity
Water7 g

Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults, [37] except for potassium, which is estimated based on expert recommendation from the National Academies. [38]

Flax seeds are 7% water, 18% protein, 29% carbohydrates, and 42% fat (table). In 100 grams (3.5 oz) as a reference amount, flax seeds provide 534 kilocalories and contain high levels (20% or more of the Daily Value, DV) of protein, dietary fiber, several B vitamins, and dietary minerals. [39] [40] Flax seeds are especially rich in thiamine, magnesium, and phosphorus (DVs above 90%) (table).

As a percentage of total fat, flax seeds contain 54% omega-3 fatty acids (mostly ALA), 18% omega-9 fatty acids (oleic acid), and 6% omega-6 fatty acids (linoleic acid); the seeds contain 9% saturated fat, including 5% as palmitic acid. [39] [40] Flax seed oil contains 53% 18:3 omega-3 fatty acids (mostly ALA) and 13% 18:2 omega-6 fatty acids. [39]

Health research

A meta-analysis showed that consumption of more than 30 g of flax-seed daily for more than 12 weeks reduced body weight, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference for persons with a BMI greater than 27. [41] Another meta-analysis showed that consumption of flax seeds for more than 12 weeks produced small reductions in systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure. [42] A third showed that consuming flax seed or its derivatives may reduce total and LDL-cholesterol in the blood, with greater benefits in women and people with high cholesterol. [43] A fourth showed a small reduction in c-reactive protein (a marker of inflammation) only in persons with a body mass index greater than 30. [44]

Linseed oil

Flax, flax seeds, linseed oil, linseed cake From flax to linseed oil..JPG
Flax, flax seeds, linseed oil, linseed cake

Linseed oil, also known as flaxseed oil or flax oil (in its edible form), is a colourless to yellowish oil obtained from the dried, ripened seeds of the flax plant (Linum usitatissimum). The oil is obtained by pressing, sometimes followed by solvent extraction.

Owing to its polymer-forming properties, linseed oil is often blended with combinations of other oils, resins or solvents as an impregnator, drying oil finish or varnish in wood finishing, as a pigment binder in oil paints, as a plasticizer and hardener in putty, and in the manufacture of linoleum. Linseed oil use has declined over the past several decades with increased availability of synthetic alkyd resins—which function similarly but resist yellowing. [45]

Linseed oil is an edible oil in demand as a dietary supplement, as a source of α-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid. In parts of Europe, it is traditionally eaten with potatoes and quark.

Safety

Flax seed and its oil are generally recognized as safe for human consumption. [46] Like many common foods, flax contains small amounts of cyanogenic glycoside, [47] which is nontoxic when consumed in typical amounts. [48] Typical concentrations (for example, 0.48% in a sample of defatted dehusked flax seed meal) can be removed by special processing. [49]

Cultivation

The soils most suitable for flax, besides the alluvial kind, are deep loams containing a large proportion of organic matter. [50] Flax is often found growing just above the waterline in cranberry bogs. Heavy clays are unsuitable, as are soils of a gravelly or dry sandy nature. Farming flax requires few fertilizers or pesticides. Within eight weeks of sowing, the plant can reach 10–15 cm (3.9–5.9 in) in height, reaching 70–80 cm (28–31 in) within 50 days.[ citation needed ]

Diseases

Production

Flax production – 2022
Countrytonnes
Flag of France.svg  France 652,680
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 77,910
Flag of Belarus.svg  Belarus 47,626
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China 29,035
Flag of Russia.svg  Russia 24,103
World875,995
Source: FAOSTAT of the United Nations [51]

In 2022, world production of raw or retted flax was 875,995 tonnes, led by France with 75% of the total. [51] One of the largest regions in France for flax production is Normandy with nearly one-third of the world's production. [52]

Harvesting

Maturation

Flax is harvested for fiber production after about 100 days, or a month after the plants flower and two weeks after the seed capsules form. The bases of the plants begin to turn yellow. If the plants are still green, the seed will not be useful, and the fiber will be underdeveloped. The fiber degrades once the plants turn brown.

Flax grown for seed is allowed to mature until the seed capsules are yellow and just starting to split; it is then harvested in various ways. A combine harvester may either cut only the heads of the plants, or the whole plant. These are then dried to extract the seed. The amount of weeds in the straw affects its marketability, and this, coupled with market prices, determines whether the farmer chooses to harvest the flax straw. If the flax straw is not harvested, typically, it is burned, since the stalks are quite tough and decompose slowly (i.e., not in a single season). Formed into windrows from the harvesting process, the straw often clogs up tillage and planting equipment. Flax straw that is not of sufficient quality for fiber uses can be baled to build shelters for farm animals, or sold as biofuel, or removed from the field in the spring. [53]

Two ways are used to harvest flax fiber, one involving mechanized equipment (combines), and a second method, more manual and targeting maximum fiber length.

Harvesting for fiber

Mechanical

Flax for fiber production is usually harvested by a specialized flax harvester. Usually built on the same machine base as a combine, but instead of the cutting head it has a flax puller. The flax plant is turned over and is gripped by rubber belts roughly 20–25 cm (8–10 inches) above ground, to avoid getting grasses and weeds in the flax. The rubber belts then pull the whole plant out of the ground with the roots so the whole length of the plant fiber can be used. The plants then pass over the machine and is placed on the field crosswise to the harvester's direction of travel. The plants are left in the field for field retting.

The mature plant can also be cut with mowing equipment, similar to hay harvesting, and raked into windrows. When dried sufficiently, a combine then harvests the seeds similar to wheat or oat harvesting.

Manual

The plant is pulled up with the roots (not cut), so as to increase the fiber length. After this, the flax is allowed to dry, the seeds are removed, and it is then retted. Dependent upon climatic conditions, characteristics of the sown flax and fields, the flax remains on the ground between two weeks and two months for retting. As a result of alternating rain and the sun, an enzymatic action degrades the pectins which bind fibers to the straw. The farmers turn over the straw during retting to evenly rett the stalks. When the straw is retted and sufficiently dry, it is rolled up. It is then stored by farmers before extracting the fibers.

De vlasoogst (1904) ("The flax harvest") painting by Emile Claus, Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, Brussels, Belgium Emile Claus001.jpg
De vlasoogst (1904) ("The flax harvest") painting by Emile Claus, Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, Brussels, Belgium

Processing

A hackle or heckle, a tool for threshing flax and preparing the fiber Hatchel of the Bugg Family.jpg
A hackle or heckle, a tool for threshing flax and preparing the fiber
Flax tissues, Tacuinum sanitatis, 14th century 58-aspetti di vita quotidiana,abbigliamento lino,Taccuino Sa.jpg
Flax tissues, Tacuinum sanitatis, 14th century

Threshing is the process of removing the seeds from the rest of the plant. Separating the usable flax fibers from other components requires pulling the stems through a hackle and/or beating the plants to break them.

Flax processing is divided into two parts: the first part is generally done by the farmer, to bring the flax fiber into a fit state for general or common purposes. This can be performed by three machines: one for threshing out the seed, one for breaking and separating the straw (stem) from the fiber, and one for further separating the broken straw and matter from the fiber.

The second part of the process brings the flax into a state for the very finest purposes, such as lace, cambric, damask, and very fine linen. This second part is performed by a refining machine.

Preparation for spinning

Stem cross-section, showing locations of underlying tissues: Ep = epidermis; C = cortex; BF = bast fibers; P = phloem; X = xylem; Pi = pith Labeledstemforposter copy.jpg
Stem cross-section, showing locations of underlying tissues: Ep = epidermis; C = cortex; BF = bast fibers; P = phloem; X = xylem; Pi = pith
Threshing, retting, and dressing flax at the Roscheider Hof Open Air Museum (Germany)

Before the flax fibers can be spun into linen, they must be separated from the rest of the stalk. The first step in this process is retting, which is the process of rotting away the inner stalk, leaving the outer parts intact. At this point, straw, or coarse outer stem (cortex and epidermis), is still remaining. To remove this, the flax is "broken", the straw is broken up into small, short bits, while the actual fiber is left unharmed. Scutching scrapes the outer straw from the fiber. The stems are then pulled through "hackles", which act like combs to remove the straw and some shorter fibers out of the long fiber.[ citation needed ]

Retting flax

Several methods are used for retting flax. It can be retted in a pond, stream, field, or tank. When the retting is complete, the bundles of flax feel soft and slimy, and quite a few fibers are standing out from the stalks. When wrapped around a finger, the inner woody part springs away from the fibers. Pond retting is the fastest. It consists of placing the flax in a pool of water which will not evaporate. It generally takes place in a shallow pool which will warm up dramatically in the sun; the process may take from a few days to a few weeks. Pond-retted flax is traditionally considered of lower quality, possibly because the product can become dirty, and is easily over-retted, damaging the fiber. This form of retting also produces quite an odor. Stream retting is similar to pool retting, but the flax is submerged in bundles in a stream or river. This generally takes two or three weeks longer than pond retting, but the end product is less likely to be dirty, does not smell as bad, and because the water is cooler, is less likely to be over-retted. Both pond and stream retting were traditionally used less because they pollute the waters used for the process.[ citation needed ]

In field retting, the flax is laid out in a large field, and dew is allowed to collect on it. This process normally takes a month or more, but is generally considered to provide the highest quality flax fibers, and it produces the least pollution. [54]

Retting can also be done in a plastic trash can or any type of water-tight container of wood, concrete, earthenware, or plastic. Metal containers will not work, as an acid is produced when retting, and it would corrode the metal. If the water temperature is kept at 27 °C (80 °F), the retting process under these conditions takes 4 or 5 days. If the water is any colder, it takes longer. Scum collects at the top, and an odor is given off the same as in pond retting. 'Enzymatic' retting of flax has been researched as a technique to engineer fibers with specific properties. [55] [56]

Dressing the flax

Dressing the flax is the process of removing the straw from the fibers. Dressing consists of three steps: breaking, scutching, and heckling. The breaking breaks up the straw. Some of the straw is scraped from the fibers in the scutching process, and finally, the fiber is pulled through heckles to remove the last bits of straw.

Breaking breaks up the straw into short segments.

Scutching removes some of the straw from the fiber.

Heckling is pulling the fiber through various sizes of heckling combs or heckles. A heckle is a bed of "nails"—sharp, long-tapered, tempered, polished steel pins driven into wooden blocks at regular spacing.

Genetically modified flax contamination

Small flax plants Flax Plants.jpg
Small flax plants

In September 2009, Canadian flax exports reportedly had been contaminated by a deregistered genetically modified cultivar called 'Triffid' that had food and feed safety approval in Canada and the U.S. [57] [58] Canadian growers and the Flax Council of Canada raised concerns about the marketability of this cultivar in Europe where a zero tolerance policy exists regarding unapproved genetically modified organisms. [59] Consequently, Triffid was deregistered in 2010 and never grown commercially in Canada or the U.S. [60] Triffid stores were destroyed, but future exports and further tests at the University of Saskatchewan proved that Triffid persisted in at least two Canadian flax varieties, possibly affecting future crops. [60] Canadian flax seed cultivars were reconstituted with Triffid-free seed used to plant the 2014 crop. [57] Laboratories are certified to test for the presence of Triffid at a level of one seed in 10,000. [58]

Symbolic images

Four flax flowers pictured in the coat of arms of Mulgi Parish Mulgi valla vapp.svg
Four flax flowers pictured in the coat of arms of Mulgi Parish

Flax is an emblem of Northern Ireland and displayed by the Northern Ireland Assembly. In a coronet, it appeared on the reverse of the British one-pound coin to represent Northern Ireland on coins minted in 1986, 1991, and 2014. Flax also represents Northern Ireland on the badge of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom and on various logos associated with it.

Common flax is the national flower of Belarus.

In early versions of the Sleeping Beauty tale, such as "Sun, Moon, and Talia" by Giambattista Basile, the princess pricks her finger, not on a spindle, but on a sliver of flax, which later is sucked out by her children conceived as she sleeps.

See also

Related Research Articles

Omega−3 fatty acids, also called omega−3 oils, ω−3 fatty acids or n−3 fatty acids, are polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) characterized by the presence of a double bond three atoms away from the terminal methyl group in their chemical structure. They are widely distributed in nature, being important constituents of animal lipid metabolism, and they play an important role in the human diet and in human physiology. The three types of omega−3 fatty acids involved in human physiology are α-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). ALA can be found in plants, while DHA and EPA are found in algae and fish. Marine algae and phytoplankton are primary sources of omega−3 fatty acids. DHA and EPA accumulate in fish that eat these algae. Common sources of plant oils containing ALA include walnuts, edible seeds, and flaxseeds as well as hempseed oil, while sources of EPA and DHA include fish and fish oils, and algae oil.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Linen</span> Textile made from spun flax fibre

Linen is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant.

Essential fatty acids, or EFAs, are fatty acids that are required by humans and other animals for normal physiological function that cannot be synthesized in the body.⁠ As they are not synthesized in the body, the essential fatty acids – alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and linoleic acid – must be obtained from food or from a dietary supplement. Essential fatty acids are needed for various cellular metabolic processes and for the maintenance and function of tissues and organs. These fatty acids also are precursors to vitamins, cofactors, and derivatives, including prostaglandins, leukotrienes, thromboxanes, lipoxins, and others.

α-Linolenic acid Chemical compound

α-Linolenic acid, also known as alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), is an n−3, or omega-3, essential fatty acid. ALA is found in many seeds and oils, including flaxseed, walnuts, chia, hemp, and many common vegetable oils.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Linseed oil</span> Oil obtained from the dried, ripened seeds of the flax plant

Linseed oil, also known as flaxseed oil or flax oil, is a colourless to yellowish oil obtained from the dried, ripened seeds of the flax plant. The oil is obtained by pressing, sometimes followed by solvent extraction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hemp oil</span> Oil from hemp seeds

Hemp oil is oil obtained by pressing hemp seeds. Cold pressed, unrefined hemp oil is dark to clear light green in color, with a nutty flavor. The darker the color, the grassier the flavour. It should not be confused with hash oil, a tetrahydrocannabinol-containing oil made from the Cannabis flower.

<i>Linum</i> Genus of flowering plants

Linum (flax) is a genus of approximately 200 species in the flowering plant family Linaceae. They are native to temperate and subtropical regions of the world. The genus includes the common flax, the bast fibre of which is used to produce linen and the seeds to produce linseed oil.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fiber crop</span> Plant grown for fiber

Fiber crops are field crops grown for their fibers, which are traditionally used to make paper, cloth, or rope.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Omega-6 fatty acid</span> Fatty acids where the sixth bond is double

Omega-6 fatty acids are a family of polyunsaturated fatty acids that have in common a final carbon-carbon double bond in the n-6 position, that is, the sixth bond, counting from the methyl end.

gamma-Linolenic acid or GLA is an n−6, or omega-6, fatty acid found primarily in seed oils. When acting on GLA, arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase produces no leukotrienes and the conversion by the enzyme of arachidonic acid to leukotrienes is inhibited.

Linoleic acid (LA) is an organic compound with the formula HOOC(CH2)7CH=CHCH2CH=CH(CH2)4CH3. Both alkene groups are cis. It is a fatty acid sometimes denoted 18:2 (n-6) or 18:2 cis-9,12. A linoleate is a salt or ester of this acid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johanna Budwig</span> German biochemist

Johanna Budwig was a German biochemist, alternative cancer treatment advocate and writer. Budwig was a pharmacist and held doctorate degrees in physics and chemistry. Based on her research on fatty acids she developed a lacto-vegetarian diet that she believed was useful in the treatment of cancer. There is no clinical evidence that the Budwig diet is effective, and it may cause adverse effects.

<i>Camelina sativa</i> Species of flowering plant

Camelina sativa is a flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae usually known as camelina, gold-of-pleasure, or false flax, but also occasionally as wild flax, linseed dodder, German sesame, or Siberian oilseed. It is native to Europe and areas of Central Asia, but cultivated as an oilseed crop mainly in Europe and in North America. It is not related to true flax, in the family Linaceae.

Linola is the trademark name of solin, cultivated forms of flax bred for producing linseed oil with a low alpha-linolenic acid content. Linola was developed in the early 1990s by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). It was developed and released in Australia in 1992 and first commercially grown in 1994. Australian Linola varieties are named after Australian lakes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sunflower oil</span> Oil pressed from the seed of Helianthus annuus

Sunflower oil is the non-volatile oil pressed from the seeds of the sunflower. Sunflower oil is commonly used in food as a frying oil, and in cosmetic formulations as an emollient.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Perilla oil</span> Vegetable oil derived from perilla seeds

Perilla oil is an edible vegetable oil derived from perilla seeds. Having a distinct nutty aroma and taste, the oil pressed from the toasted perilla seeds is used as a flavor enhancer, condiment, and cooking oil in Korean cuisine. The oil pressed from untoasted perilla seeds is used for non-culinary purposes.

<i>Buglossoides arvensis</i> Species of flowering plant in the borage family Boraginaceae

Buglossoides arvensis, known as field gromwell, corn gromwell, bastard alkanet, and stone seed, is a flowering plant of the family Boraginaceae. It is native to Europe and Asia, as far north as Korea, Japan and Russia, and as far south as Afghanistan and northern Pakistan. It is known in other places as an introduced species, including much of North America and Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flax production in Nepal</span>

The production of flax and other oilseed crops peak in the temperate climates of the middle mountain and hill farming regions in Nepal. Flax matures in approximately 90 to 125 days and develops most rapidly under the cool, short season of growing. The middle hill region of the Lamjung district exemplifies an ideal climate for flax production experiencing consistently cool temperatures for most of the year. The shallow rooting system makes the plant especially susceptible to drought and excess moisture in the soil but easier to harvest. Most cash crops are grown in the hill regions of Nepal as this is where two-thirds of the subsistence farmers reside, who need to produce just enough food to feed themselves and their families.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Senior dog diet</span> Pet foods catered toward senior pets

Senior dog food diets are pet foods that are catered toward the senior or mature pet population. The senior dog population consists of dogs that are over the age of seven for most dog breeds, though in general large and giant breed dogs tend to reach this life stage earlier when compared to smaller breed dogs. Senior dog foods contain nutrients and characteristics that are used to improve the health of the aging dog. Aging in dogs causes many changes to occur physiologically that will require a change in nutrient composition of their diet.

<i>Linum strictum</i> Species of flax

Linum strictum, commonly known as rigid flax, upright flax, and upright yellow flax, is a species of flax with a rigid stem, from whence it derives its taxonomic name, growing to a height of 10–45 cm. The plant is endemic to the Mediterranean region. It features highly in classical Hebrew and Greek literature, owing principally to its cultivation for its plant fiber, linen, but also for its edible seeds and culinary foliage.

References

  1. "Linum usitatissimum L." The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species.
  2. "Linum usitatissimum". Germplasm Resources Information Network . Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture . Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  3. Allaby, R., Peterson, G., Merriwether, D., et al. (2005). "Evidence of the domestication history of flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) from genetic diversity of the sad2 locus". Theoretical and Applied Genetics. 112 (1): 58–65. doi:10.1007/s00122-005-0103-3. PMID   16215731. S2CID   6342499.
  4. Quanru Liu, Lihua Zhou. "Linum". Flora of China. Vol. 11. Archived from the original on 5 April 2015. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  5. 1 2 Saleem MH, Ali S, Hussain S, et al. (April 2020). "Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.): A Potential Candidate for Phytoremediation? Biological and Economical Points of View". Plants. 9 (4): 496. doi: 10.3390/plants9040496 . ISSN   2223-7747. PMC   7238412 . PMID   32294947.
  6. 1 2 "These Vintage Threads Are 30,000 Years Old". NPR.org. NPR. Archived from the original on 4 December 2010. Retrieved 13 November 2010.
  7. Balter M (2009). "Clothes make the (Hu) Man". Science. 325 (5946): 1329. doi:10.1126/science.325_1329a. PMID   19745126.
  8. Kvavadze E, Bar-Yosef O, Belfer-Cohen A, et al. (2009). "30,000-Year-Old Wild Flax Fibers". Science. 325 (5946): 1359. Bibcode:2009Sci...325.1359K. doi:10.1126/science.1175404. PMID   19745144. S2CID   206520793.
  9. 1 2 Fu, Y.-B. (2011). "Genetic evidence for early flax domestication with capsular dehiscence". Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution. 58 (8): 1119–1128. doi:10.1007/s10722-010-9650-9. S2CID   22424329.
  10. Çatalhöyük 2013 Archive Report (Report).
  11. Barber E. (1991) "Prehistoric Textiles: The Development of Cloth in the Neolithic and Bronze Ages with Special Reference to the Aegean". Princeton University Press, p.12
  12. 1 2 Cullis CA (2007). "Flax". In Kole C (ed.). Oilseeds. Springer. p. 275. ISBN   978-3-540-34387-5.
  13. Sekhri S. (2011) "Textbook of Fabric Science: Fundamentals to Finishing". PHI Learning Private Limited, New Delhi, p. 76
  14. Wisseman SU, Williams WS, eds. (1994). Ancient Technologies and Archaeological Materials. Taylor & Francis. p. 124. doi:10.4324/9781315075396. ISBN   978-2-88124-631-9. S2CID   128265510.
  15. Buchanan R. (2012) "A Weaver's Garden: Growing Plants for Natural Dyes and Fibers". Courier Dover Publications, p. 22
  16. 1 2 Wisseman S., p.125
  17. (2003) "The Oxford Encyclopedia of Economic History, Volume 1" Oxford University Press, p.303.
  18. McHughen A (1990). "Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.): In Vitro Studies". Legumes and Oilseed Crops I. Biotechnology in Agriculture and Forestry. Vol. 10. pp. 502–514. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-74448-8_24. ISBN   978-3-642-74450-1.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Valérie Heuzé, Gilles Tran, Pierre Nozière, et al. (2018). "Linseed meal". Feedipedia. INRA, CIRAD, Association Française de Zootechnie and FAO. Archived from the original on 12 July 2017. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  20. Grant A (6 March 2007). "Superfoods". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 21 September 2016.
  21. 1 2 Jasper Womach, et al., eds. (2005), Agriculture: A Glossary of Terms, Programs, and Laws, 2005 Edition (PDF), Library of Congress: Congressional Research Service, archived from the original on 10 August 2011{{citation}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  22. Sargi SC, Silva BC, Santos HM, et al. (26 July 2013). "Antioxidant capacity and chemical composition in seeds rich in omega-3: chia, flax, and perilla". Food Science and Technology. 33 (3): 541–548. doi: 10.1590/S0101-20612013005000057 . S2CID   41096264.
  23. "Pigments through the Ages – Renaissance and Baroque (1400–1600)". Archived from the original on 19 July 2012.
  24. "Flax nutrition profile". Archived from the original on 23 July 2009. Retrieved 8 May 2008.
  25. Alpers L, Sawyer-Morse, Mary K. (August 1996). "Eating Quality of Banana Nut Muffins and Oatmeal Cookies Made With Ground Flaxseed". Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 96 (8): 794–796. doi:10.1016/S0002-8223(96)00219-2. PMID   8683012.
  26. Malcolmson L (April 2006). "Storage stability of milled flaxseed". Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society. 77 (3): 235–238. doi:10.1007/s11746-000-0038-0. S2CID   85575934.
  27. Chen ZY (1994). "Oxidative stability of flaxseed lipids during baking". Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society. 71 (6): 629–632. doi:10.1007/BF02540591. S2CID   84981982.
  28. Strandås C (2008). "Phenolic glucosides in bread containing flaxseed". Food Chemistry. 110 (4): 997–999. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2008.02.088. PMID   26047292.
  29. 1 2 3 4 5 Maddock TD, Anderson, Vernon L., Lardy, Greg P. "Using Flax in Livestock Diets". North Dakota State University. pp. 53–62. Archived from the original on 22 February 2012.
  30. J. C. P. Dribnenkil and A. G. Green (1995). "Linola '947' low linolenic acid flax". Canadian Journal of Plant Science. 75 (1): 201–202. doi: 10.4141/cjps95-036 .
  31. Maddock TD, Bauer ML, Koch KB, et al. (1 June 2006). "Effect of processing flax in beef feedlot diets on performance, carcass characteristics, and trained sensory panel ratings1". Journal of Animal Science. 84 (6): 1544–1551. doi:10.2527/2006.8461544x. PMID   16699112.
  32. 1 2 3 Lardy GP, Anderson VL, Dahlen C (October 2015). Alternative feeds for ruminants (PDF) (Report). North Dakota State University Extension Service. pp. 9, 20. AS1182 (Revised). Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 October 2022. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
  33. Kramer SN (1963). The Sumerians: Their history, culture and character (PDF). The University of Chicago Press. p. 104. ISBN   0-226-45237-9. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 March 2016.
  34. Kaza-Papageorgiou K (30 November 2015). The Ancient Astiki Odos and the Metro beneath Vouliagmenis Avenue. Athens, Greece: Kapon Editions. ISBN   978-9606878947.
  35. Chand, Navin. (2008). Tribology of natural fiber polymer composites. Fahim, Mohammed., Institute of Materials, Minerals, and Mining. Cambridge, England: Woodhead Publishing. ISBN   978-1-84569-505-7. OCLC   425959562.
  36. Wardey AJ (1967). The Linen Trade: Ancient and Modern. Routledge. p. 752. ISBN   978-0-7146-1114-3.
  37. United States Food and Drug Administration (2024). "Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels". FDA. Archived from the original on 27 March 2024. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
  38. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Health and Medicine Division, Food and Nutrition Board, et al. (2019). Oria M, Harrison M, Stallings VA (eds.). Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium. The National Academies Collection: Reports funded by National Institutes of Health. Washington, DC: National Academies Press (US). ISBN   978-0-309-48834-1. PMID   30844154. Archived from the original on 9 May 2024. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  39. 1 2 3 "Nutrition facts for 100 g of flaxseeds". Conde Nast for USDA National Nutrient Database, version SR-21. 2015. Archived from the original on 5 December 2010.
  40. 1 2 "Full Report (All Nutrients): 12220, Seeds, flaxseed per 100 g". USDA National Nutrient Database version SR-27. 2015. Archived from the original on 20 September 2014.
  41. Mohammadi-Sartang M, Mazloom Z, Raeisi-Dehkordi H, et al. (September 2017). "The effect of flaxseed supplementation on body weight and body composition: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 45 randomized placebo-controlled trials: Flaxseed and body composition". Obesity Reviews. 18 (9): 1096–1107. doi:10.1111/obr.12550. PMID   28635182. S2CID   5587045.
  42. Khalesi S, Irwin C, Schubert M (2015). "Flaxseed consumption may reduce blood pressure: a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled trials". Journal of Nutrition . 145 (4): 758–65. doi: 10.3945/jn.114.205302 . hdl: 10072/128716 . PMID   25740909.
  43. Pan A, Yu D, Demark-Wahnefried W, et al. (August 2009). "Meta-analysis of the effects of flaxseed interventions on blood lipids". The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 90 (2): 288–97. doi:10.3945/ajcn.2009.27469. PMC   3361740 . PMID   19515737.
  44. Ren GY, Chen CY, Chen GC, et al. (4 March 2016). "Effect of Flaxseed Intervention on Inflammatory Marker C-Reactive Protein: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials". Nutrients. 8 (3): 136. doi: 10.3390/nu8030136 . PMC   4808865 . PMID   26959052.
  45. Jones FN (2003). "Alkyd Resins". Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. doi:10.1002/14356007.a01_409. ISBN   978-3527306732.
  46. Cheeseman MA (24 August 2009). "GRAS Petition by Flax Canada, Agency Response Letter GRAS Notice No. GRN 000280". U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Archived from the original on 17 June 2015. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
  47. Cunnane SC, Ganguli S, Menard C, et al. (1993). "High alpha-linolenic acid flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum): some nutritional properties in humans". Br J Nutr. 69 (2): 443–53. doi: 10.1079/bjn19930046 . PMID   8098222.
  48. EFSA Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (11 April 2019). "Evaluation of the health risks related to the presence of cyanogenic glycosides in foods other than raw apricot kernels". EFSA Journal. 17 (4): e05662. doi: 10.2903/j.efsa.2019.5662 . PMC   7009189 . PMID   32626287.
  49. Singh KK, Mridula D, Rehal J, et al. (2011). "Flaxseed: a potential source of food, feed and fiber". Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 51 (3): 210–22. doi:10.1080/10408390903537241. PMID   21390942. S2CID   21452408.
  50. "Grow and Harvest Flax – Materials Matter 2016". Climate CoLab. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
  51. 1 2 "Flax (raw or retted) production in 2022; Crops/Regions/World List/Production Quantity (from pick lists)". UN Food and Agriculture Organization, Statistics Division (FAOSTAT). 2024. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  52. Beauvais F, Cantat O, Le Gouée P, et al. (2022). "Consequences of climate change on flax fiber in Normandy by 2100: prospective bioclimatic simulation based on data from the ALADIN-Climate and WRF regional models". Theoretical and Applied Climatology. 148 (1–2): 415–426. Bibcode:2022ThApC.148..415B. doi:10.1007/s00704-022-03938-4. ISSN   0177-798X.
  53. Michael Raine (27 March 2008), "The last straw: nine ways to handle flax straw", The Western Producer, archived from the original on 18 May 2015
  54. H V Sreenivasa Murthy (2016). Introduction to Textile Fibres (Woodhead Publishing India in Textiles). New Delhi, India: Woodhead Publishing India PVT LTD (2017 Revised edition). pp. 3.1.1. ISBN   9789385059094.
  55. Akin Dodd F (2008). "Pectinolytic enzymes and retting". BioResources. 3 (1): 155–169.
  56. Akin Dodd F (2001). "Processing techniques for improving enzyme-retting of flax". Industrial Crops and Products. 13 (3): 239–248. doi:10.1016/s0926-6690(00)00081-9.
  57. 1 2 "Flax growers try to flush Triffid from system". The Western Producer. 11 January 2013. Archived from the original on 17 February 2016. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  58. 1 2 "Sampling and Testing Protocol for Canadian Flaxseed Exported to the European Union" (PDF). Canadian Grain Commission. 28 April 2014. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 October 2015. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  59. "Canada moves to revive flax exports after GMO flap". Reuters. 8 January 2010. Archived from the original on 9 May 2013. Retrieved 11 November 2012.
  60. 1 2 "Triffid seed threatens flax industry". CBC News. 20 January 2010. Archived from the original on 1 February 2016. Retrieved 11 January 2016.