(COTTON) SEEDS

Cotton (Gossypium spp.) seeds, a primary by-product of the global cotton industry, are often underutilized but represent a potential source of valuable bioactive compounds. This study was designed to quantify the total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) of dried cotton seeds to evaluate their potential for value-added applications. An aqueous extract was prepared from dried, powdered seeds, and the presence of phenols and flavonoids was confirmed using standard qualitative phytochemical screening. Total phenolic content was determined spectrophotometrically using the Folin-Ciocalteu method with tannic acid as the standard, while total flavonoid content was measured via the aluminum chloride colorimetric assay using quercetin as the standard. The quantitative analysis revealed a substantial total phenolic content of 82.35 ± 0.40 g of tannic acid equivalents per kilogram (g TAE/kg) of the dried sample. The total flavonoid content was also significant, measured at 9.15 ± 1.24 g of quercetin equivalents per kilogram (g QE/kg). These findings demonstrate that dried cotton seed is a rich source of natural phenolic antioxidants, highlighting its potential for valorization as a value-added ingredient in functional food, nutraceutical, and animal feed industries and promoting a more sustainable circular economy in cotton production.