Genetic Improvement Of Cottonseed Oil

Abstract

Refined cottonseed oil is one of the best edible oil, which is used in many parts of the world including USA, China, Uzbekistan, India and Middle East. Genetic improvement in the seed oil content without reduction in the lint yield will be an added advantage. Apart from fibre cottonseed is also an important source of edible oil. In U.S.A. it ranks third in volume, next only to soybean and corn oil with annual production averaging 1 billion pounds (4,50,000 tonnes approx.). Cottonseed oil is among the most unsaturated oils. Others include safflower, corn, soybean, rapeseed and sunflower seed oils (Chart 1). Cottonseed oil roughly has a ratio of 2:1 ratio of polysaturated to saturated fatty acids. It generally contains 70% unsaturated and 30% saturated fatty acids. In unsaturated group, it contains 18% oleic and 52% polyunsaturated linoleic acids. The oleic acid is monosaturated and linoleic acid is polysaturated fatty acid. The saturated fatty acids include palmitic and stearic acids. Cottonseed oil is one of the few oils considered acceptable for reducing saturated fat intake. Cottonseed oil is described by scientists as being “naturally hydrogenated” because of the levels of oleic, palmitic, and stearic acids which it contains. These make it stable frying oil without the need for additional processing or the formation of trans fatty acids. Another of Cottonseed Oil’s benefits is the high level of antioxidants-tocopherols (Table 1) that contribute to its long life in the cooker or on the shelf. Studies show that these natural antioxidants are retained at high levels in fried products, preserving their freshness and creating longer shelf life. Although the development of cottonseed industry had its beginnings with the invention of the cotton gin in 1793 which made the availability of large supplies of cottonseed possible, it was in the early twentieth century only that cottonseed was utilized in commercial quantities for production of oil and decorticated cottonseed cake. In India tradionally, the cottonseed utilization has been as an animal feed and it was in 1914 that the first cottonseed oil mill was established at Navsari by Indian Oil Company. Since than the industry has made rapid strides to establish for itself a place in the national economy. This bulletin deals with genetic improvement of cottonseed oil in terms of quantity and quality.