Successful leveraging in the mustard industry
Saskatchewan Mustard Development Commission

 

 

Saskatchewan is already known for its mustard production and is a major exporter of mustard, estimated at around 70 percent of world exports. Nevertheless, the Canadian mustard industry believes there are far more uses for mustard, with emerging markets ready for new mustard products.

 

Working through Mustard 21 Canada Inc, a non-profit research arm created by the Saskatchewan Mustard Development Commission (SMDC) and the Canadian Mustard Association (CMA), a recent industry research project has shown mustard oil can be used as a biodiesel additive and biolubricant, and as a penetrating oil.

The project also examined the mustard meal left over in the processing of the oil. The meal can be used as a biological fumigant for pest control and as a natural antimicrobial for safe, prepackaged foods.

 

Funding for the project was provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through adaptation programming . In Saskatchewan, this programming is delivered by the Agriculture Council of Saskatchewan.

 

While the value added mustard industry in Canada is worth $20-$25 million, SMDC and the CMA have developed a strategic plan to increase that value, believing it can be increased to more than a $100 million enterprise. Most of the current value is from the condiment sales, says Pete Desai, President of Mustard 21, but that market is well served and has little growth potential, so new products must be developed to expand the value added industry. “This will not only create jobs,” he says, “but also increase the value of the commodity.”

 

The research found that adding 1% mustard based biodiesel to regular diesel fuel improved the lubricity or performance of diesel fuel by 43%, making its performance superior to four commercial fuels purchased from the market. This advantage as a biolubricant also means a mustard oil derivative could be used in a penetrating oil. Plus, mustard oil has a relatively lower freezing point, at -15C, than other vegetable oil based products.

 

The research used present varieties of mustard, meaning producers will benefit from the increased demand for mustard and from increased marketing options.

 

Desai says the project provided valuable research which private businesses can now develop. “The goal was to create sustainable business opportunities for either existing or new small to medium enterprises (SMEs),” he says. “The project results will help SMEs develop their own proprietary value-added products using mustard oil or mustard meal, which will create demand for Saskatchewan mustard seed.”

 

 

 

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