Cotton is a vital crop that has played a key role in human history for thousands of years, primarily as a raw material for clothing and warmth. However, cottonseeds contain a natural toxin called gossypol, which makes them unsuitable for human consumption. For many years, people have either discarded cottonseeds or processed them to extract oil, while the leftover meal was used mainly as animal feed.
Recently, scientists at Texas A&M University made a breakthrough by using genetic engineering to reduce the levels of gossypol in cottonseeds. This innovation has transformed cottonseeds into a potential new food source for humans. By employing RNA interference technology, researchers were able to "silence" the gene responsible for producing gossypol, resulting in cottonseeds with extremely low or even undetectable levels of the toxin. These improved seeds can now be safely consumed.
Globally, over 80 countries cultivate cotton, producing around 44 million tons of cottonseeds annually. After extracting the oil, the remaining seed meal is rich in protein—about 23% of its composition. Dr. Rasor, who leads the research project, estimates that these genetically modified seeds could meet the protein needs of up to 500 million people worldwide each year. This development marks a significant step forward in addressing global food security and making better use of a previously underutilized resource.
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