4 min readChandigarhApr 4, 2026 09:14 AM IST
As the global market frowns upon mustard oil calling it an unsafe cooking medium due to its high erucic acid content, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) scientists, in a bid to overcome health concerns linked to traditional varieties, have developed a mustard variety that has permissible amounts of the acid.
The university has developed a range of improved Gobhi Sarson (Brassica napus) lines under its “00” or double-zero programme, aimed at reducing harmful components such as erucic acid and glucosinolates. These varieties meet international canola-quality standards, containing less than 2% erucic acid and under 30 micro moles per gram of glucosinolates. The GSC-7 variety is harmless, Vice Chancellor of PAU, Dr SS Gosal told The Indian Express.
Erucic acid has been a major concern in traditional mustard oil. Earlier animal studies linked high consumption of erucic acid to heart-related issues, particularly fat accumulation in heart muscle. While human evidence remains debated, countries like the United States adopted a precautionary approach, restricting edible oils with high erucic acid levels. As a result, conventional mustard oil is not widely approved for cooking there, prompting the global shift toward low-erucic “canola” oils. We have been importing canola oil for the health benefits. Now, we will have our own home-grown cooking oil. We need to spread the message,” Dr Gosal said.
Against this backdrop, PAU’s new varieties aim to make mustard oil both safer and globally acceptable, he added. The PAU has completed trials of the new mustard variety named GSC-7, which has now been introduced in selected areas, including regions affected by last year’s floods where seeds were distributed free of cost. “We distributed these seeds in the areas where floods had hit. This was a part of our initiate to provide seeds free of cost to flood-affected farmers,” he said.
The development carries particular significance for consumers who avoid mustard oil due to fears about rising uric acid or cholesterol. The new variety directly addresses these concerns. “People who fear that using mustard oil in cooking may increase their erucic acid or cholesterol now have good news,” said Vice-Chancellor Dr. S.S. Gosal. “Keeping in mind the shortcomings of traditional mustard and the components considered harmful for health, we have developed this new variety and are working to expand its area. The 00 mustard oil will be available in the market this season with farmers sowing it in some parts.”
He added that the crop is non-GM and performs better than conventional mustard. Listing out a key functional advantage, Dr Gosal said, “Its smoke point is higher, which means it remains stable even after repeated frying.” This makes it more suitable for modern cooking practices, where oils are often reused at high temperatures. From an agricultural perspective, the variety has been designed to support crop diversification in Punjab, where farmers are heavily dependent on the wheat–paddy cycle. “We developed this keeping both yield and oil recovery in mind, so that farmers have a viable alternative,” Dr Gosal explained at the colloquium, titled “Promoting Diversification for Higher Incomes and Sustainable Agriculture in Punjab and Haryana,” organised at CRRID on Thursday.
“The gains are notable. Traditional mustard yields around 32 per cent oil, whereas the new variety produces up to 40 per cent, offering better returns to farmers. In addition, the crop matures uniformly, making harvesting easier and more efficient. If the government provides a minimum support price for this crop, we can reduce the wheat area and shift farmers toward mustard, helping meet the country’s edible oil demand,” he said. Field surveys are currently underway in flood-affected areas where the variety has been introduced, as PAU evaluates its performance under real farming conditions. “It will be a profitable alternative for the farmers.”
