Crop description. Camelina sativa L. Crantz—commonly known as gold-of-pleasure and camelina—belongs to the family Cruciferae and grows well in temperate climates (see Fig. 4.16). It is an annual oilseed plant and is cultivated in small amounts in France, and to a lesser

Figure 4.16 Camelina sativa L. Crantz. (Photo courtesy of Prof. Arne Anderberg [http://linna. eus. nrm. se/flora/di/brassica/camel/ camemic. html].)

extent in Holland, Belgium, and Russia. The oil content of camelina seeds ranges from 29.9% to 38.3%. However, it is an underexploited oilseed crop at present. Its fatty acid profile includes oleic acid (14-19.5%), linoleic acid (18.8-24%), linolenic acid (27-34.7%), eicosenoic acid (12-15%), and erucic acid (less than 4%) [133]. Budin et al. have concluded that camelina is a low-input crop possessing a potential for food and nonfood exploitation [133].

Main uses. This crop has recently been rediscovered as an oil crop. At the moment, the feasibility of utilizing oil from this plant is being investi­gated [53, 134]. Oil is used as a luminant and emollient for softening the skin. Fiber is obtained from the stems. Frohlich and Rice have investi­gated production of methyl ester from camelina oil. Biodiesel was pre­pared by means of a single-stage esterification using methanol and KOH [135]. Steinke et al. have developed both alkali-catalyzed and lipase-catalyzed alcoholyses of camelina oil [136, 137].