Bioactive Phytochemicals from Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) Seed Oil Processing By-products

Abstract

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is an important species used as a source of fiber for the textile industry and oil for biodiesel agro-industries. The main by-product generated from the oil extraction from cottonseed is cottonseed oil processing by-products, mainly used as animal feed or fertilizer. Although cottonseed by-product has a low price, one of the limitations of its application is its toxicity due to the presence of gossypol, which limits its use for human consumption. However, techniques for removing gossypol have been developed, allowing the application of cottonseed by-products and their fractions in food products. Therefore, research on the application of cottonseed by-product is a new advance and of great relevance for utilizing a by-product generated in significant quantities by the industry and is still undervalued. The by-product of cotton oil extraction has a high content of compounds of interest, such as protein (~41.2 g 100 g−1), fiber (~16.1 g 100 g−1), ash (~5.9 g 100 g−1), potassium (~1.5 g 100 g−1), phosphorus (~1.0 g 100 g−1), iron (~7.6 mg kg−1), and zinc (~56.4 mg kg−1) and also high composition in bioactive phytochemicals, including phenolic compounds and other molecules with biological potentials, such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, antihypertensive, neuroprotective, and antidepressant properties, among others. In this sense, this chapter provides an overview of the main components, including phytochemical components found in cottonseed oil processing by-products, to provide information and increase utilization, especially in food products.