kikipeepers asked
Cotton, for thousands of years one of the most important crops for clothing and shelter, might also become a source of food. A chemical called gossypol makes cottonseed inedible for humans, though some of it is used in feed for cattle, which are less affected by the toxin. Now, researchers at Texas A&M University have genetically modified cotton to produce seeds with little or no gossypol. It's a step they say could help provide valuable protein to millions of people. The modified plants continue to have gossypol in their stems and leaves where it helps resist insects, but the chemical is significantly reduced in the seed. Worldwide, 44 million tons of cottonseed is produced annually. It is grown in 80 countries and the seeds are 23% protein. They are pressed for oil, and in the United States about half of the remaining meal goes into animal feed. But, with the gossypol removed, the meal can be ground into flour and used in cooking.
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