08/05/09 Less than a year after its launch an innovative new product, Summer Harvest Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil, produced by a Perthshire farming family has lifted two top awards at the Scottish food and drink “Oscars”.

The Cameron family were delighted to scoop two of the main category prizes at the Scotland Food and Drink Excellence Awards held in Glasgow's Kelvingrove Museum and attended by 300 leading representatives of the food and drink industry.

The family, who launched their Summer Harvest Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil last year, lifted the top awards in the Soup, Preserves and Accompaniments and the Healthy Eating categories.

David Cameron and his wife Elizabeth have grown oilseed rape on the family farm for more than 25 years but, with daughter, Margaret, and son-in-law Mark Bush, they have now started producing their “Summer Harvest” branded Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil.

Farming a 400 acre mixed arable and livestock unit at Ferneyfold Farm, Madderty near Crieff the family have started crushing, bottling and marketing rapeseed oil direct from the field.

The oil is proving very popular not only at farmers markets and farm shops but also at a number of high profile restaurants and delicatessens, said Mark and Margeret, clearly over the moon with their win.

“One of the most rewarding aspects of producing Summer Harvest over the past 12 months has been the amount of repeat business we are now generating from our customer base but winning these awards is really the icing on the cake for us after an exciting first year as they indicate wider industry support for the product,” said Mark.

The oil can be used in place of olive or other oils for cooking – it has a higher burning point than olive oil – and also in marinades and salad dressings. Among the many attributes of rapeseed oil, the Camerons point out, is that it has only six per cent saturated fat, compared with olive oil which typically has 14% and butter at 59%.

Rapeseed oil also had naturally occurring Vitamin E, an antioxidant, and is a good source of omega 3, 6 and 9. With a shelf life of around 12-18 months, the oil is simply pressed and filtered with no preservatives of additives.

The Scotland Food and Drink Excellence Awards attract entries from many of Scotland’s top producers and include 16 categories covering retail, foodservice, healthy eating, marketing initiative and environmental sustainablility.

Further information about Summer Harvest rapeseed oil is available at www.summerharvestoils.co.uk