Cottonseed

Cottonseed is the seed of the cotton plant, contained within the boll that produces cotton fibers. It is a valuable byproduct used mainly to produce cottonseed oil, which is commonly used in cooking and food products. The remaining seed meal is high in protein and often used as animal feed. Cottonseed contains gossypol, a natural compound that can be toxic if not processed properly, so the oil is refined to remove it. Overall, cottonseed plays an important role in agriculture and industry, converting what would be waste into useful products for food, feed, and industrial applications.