FDA approves GMO cotton with edible cottonseeds - Entrepreneur Generations

The Food and Drug Administration has approved a genetically engineered form of cotton that renders the cottonseeds edible without hurting the cotton fiber. Researchers believe the newly engineered cottonseeds can become a new, cheap protein source for people and animals, Jessica Fu reports for The New Food Economy.

The U.S. is a powerhouse cotton producer, bringing 9.6 billion pounds worth $7 billion to the market every year. Most of its value is in the fiber—the fluffy, white stuff—but the cottonseeds have been of little use til now because they contain a toxic chemical called gossypol. The chemical can trigger severe respiratory distress, impaired immune and reproductive function, and death in humans. Cottonseeds are used in some cattle feed, a few insecticides, and in some cooking oils (glossypol is rendered out in production), and of course in planting, But other than that, there's not much that can be done with cottonseeds, Fu reports.

Keerti Rathore, a professor of plant biotechnology at Texas A&M University, has been working for the past two decades to change that. It turns out that cottonseeds are rich in proteins, but Rathore found it difficult to reduce gossypol levels in cottonseeds but not in the rest of the plant. It's important to keep gossypol in the rest of the plant because it serves as a natural insecticide, Fu reports.

After years of tests, Rathore submitted his low-gossypol cotton to the FDA and the Agriculture Department for approval in 2017. "Last year, USDA deregulated the genetically engineered cotton, giving farmers free rein to grow the crop. FDA’s move this month gives producers permission to use it as an ingredient in human food, as well as animal feed," Fu reports.

It will still be a while before the low-gossypol cottonseeds are on the grocery store shelves. Seed companies must agree to sell it and farmers must agree to grow it. And, "beyond the bureaucratic aspects, low-gossypol cottonseeds also face the challenge of overcoming the cultural stigma surrounding genetically modified foods," Fu reports.

from The Rural Blog https://ift.tt/2oaTTiq FDA approves GMO cotton with edible cottonseeds - Entrepreneur Generations

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