Cotton Seed

Cottonseed oil

Cottonseed oil is a cooking oil extracted
from the seeds of cotton plants of various
species, mainly Gossypium hirsutum and
Gossypium herbaceum, that are grown for
cotton fiber, animal feed, and oil. Cotton seed has a similar structure to
other oilseeds such as sunflower seed,
having an oil-bearing kernel surrounded by
a hard outer hull; in processing, the oil is
extracted from the kernel. Cottonseed oil
is used for salad oil, mayonnaise, salad
dressing, and similar products because of
its flavor stability.

Composition

Its fatty acid profile generally consists of
70% unsaturated fatty acids (18%
monounsaturated, and 52%
polyunsaturated), 26% saturated fatty
acids. When it is fully hydrogenated, its
profile is 94% saturated fat and 2%
unsaturated fatty acids (1.5%
monounsaturated, and 0.5%
polyunsaturated).According to the
cottonseed oil industry, cottonseed oil
does not need to be hydrogenated as
much as other polyunsaturated oils to
achieve similar results. Gossypol is a toxic, yellow, polyphenolic
compound produced by cotton and other
members of the order Malvaceae, such as
okra.
This naturally occurring coloured
compound is found in tiny glands in the
seed, leaf, stem, tap root bark, and root of
the cotton plant. The adaptive function of
the compound facilitates natural insect
resistance. The three key steps of refining,
bleaching, and deodorization in producing
finished oil act to eliminate the gossypol
level. Ferric chloride is often used to
decolorize cotton seed oil.

Physical Properties.

Once processed, cottonseed oil has a mild
taste and appears generally clear with a
light golden color, the amount of color
depending on the amount of refining.
It
has a relatively high smoke point as a
frying medium. Density ranges from 0.917 g/cm to 0.933g/cm3
Like other
long-chain fatty acid oils, cottonseed oil.

Use in food

Cottonseed oil has traditionally been used
in foods such as potato chips and was for
many years a primary ingredient in Crisco,
the shortening product. The current
formulation of Crisco includes no
cottonseed oil. Significantly less
expensive than olive oil or canola oil,
cottonseed oil is a popular frying oil for the
restaurant and snack-food manufacturing
industries.

Data reference.