Quote:
Originally Posted by Cricket Tragic
Canola is the same as oilseed rape, but not exactly the same as rape. Canola was invented in Canada and Canola is short for Canadian oilseed (well sort of). The Europeans when they adopted it decided to call it something different.
What you smell is not pollen. It is isothiocyanates. Canola, like most mustards, contains glucosinolates, which are broken down into isothiocyanates when the cells are damaged. Mustard gas, used in WWI, was an isothiocyanate. There is a faint sulfur smell.
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So could it be an irritant to children for reasons other than the pollen?
In an attempt to resolve the different opinions that are being expressed here I commited the terrible crime of using Google. This website was produced
Oilseed Rape Allergy Syndrome
The avoidance of planting the crops near schools seems to have been voluntary by the farmers to avoid potential problems, rather than a legal requirement in the UK. There appears to be contoversy over the theory that Oil Seed Rape affects humans in a way that is either specifically related to the plant or significantly grater that the effects of any other similar plant.