COTTON SEED

Antioxidant capacity of edible oils is important for nutrition, shelf-life, and functional uses and plays its role in protecting biological systems against oxidative stress caused by free radicals. The antioxidant capacity varied significantly as a result of their fatty acid composition, refining procedure, inherent phytochemicals and antioxidants. This study evaluated the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) of three widely consumed edible oils—soya bean oil, cotton seed oil, and palm kernel oil—at differing concentrations (50–250 µg/ml). The FRAP assay was used to determine the reducing ability of each oil, expressed as percentage FRAP activity. Results obtained showed a clear concentration-dependent increase in antioxidant activity across all samples. Cotton seed oil exhibited the highest mean FRAP value (35.20 ± 12.95%), followed by soya bean oil (24.22 ± 11.03%) and palm kernel oil (21.89 ± 11.99%). Strong positive relationships between concentration and FRAP activity as Pearson correlation analysis revealed (r > 0.98 for all oils), confirming that antioxidant potential increases proportionally with concentration. Although one-way ANOVA indicated no statistically significant difference (F = 1.75; p > 0.05) among the oils, cotton seed oil (dependent on the extensive refining it was subjected to) consistently demonstrated superior reducing power, suggesting a higher concentration of phenolic and tocopherol compounds. With this, the study establishes the potential of cotton seed oil as a rich natural source of antioxidants and provides comparative insight into the antioxidant strength of common edible oils used in food industry and nutraceutical applications.

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) seed, a major agricultural by-product, remains an under-explored source of natural antioxidants, which are increasingly sought after as alternatives to synthetic compounds. This study aimed to evaluate the in vitro antioxidant potential of an aqueous extract of cotton seed by assessing its DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1 picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging activity. An aqueous extract was prepared from dried, powdered cotton seeds. Its free radical scavenging capacity was determined spectrophotometrically at concentrations ranging from 50 to 250 µg/mL and compared against ascorbic acid as a standard. The cotton seed extract exhibited dose- dependent activity, with inhibition ranging from 29.11% to 46.37%. Linear regression analysis was used to calculate the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀), which was found to be 288.88 µg/mL for the extract, compared to 86.12 µg/mL for the highly potent ascorbic acid standard. The findings demonstrate that aqueous cotton seed extract possesses moderate antioxidant properties, likely attributable to its inherent phytochemicals. This study validates the potential of cotton seed as a viable, low-cost source for natural antioxidants, supporting the valorization of this agricultural by-product for applications in the food and nutraceutical industries.

The physicochemical quality of commercially and locally extracted Sesamum indicum (sesame) and Gossypium hirsutum (cottonseed) oils was compared in this study, with an emphasis on three important freshness and stability indicators: acid value (AV), percentage free fatty acid (%FFA), and peroxide value (PV). These factors are essential for evaluating edible oils' hydrolytic and oxidative rancidity, which have a direct bearing on shelf life, consumer safety, and nutritional quality. Samples of oil were collected in Benin City, Nigeria, from both commercial and artisanal sources. AV, %FFA, and PV were measured using standard titrimetric and iodometric techniques, and SPSS version 30.0 was used for statistical analysis with a significance level of p < 0.05. Significant differences between the various oil samples were found in the results. In terms of freshness and oxidative stability, manually extracted sesame oil showed the lowest values in all indices (AV: 2.165 ± 0.3707 mg KOH/g; %FFA: 1.357 ± 0.2249; PV: 6.361 ± 0.7573 meq/kg). On the other hand, commercially extracted sesame oil showed much higher AV (12.9067 ± 0.6792 mg KOH/g), %FFA (6.759 ± 0.2702), and PV (45.3847 ± 1.1737 meq/kg), indicating increased lipid degradation, perhaps as a result of exposure to high temperatures and metal contaminants during industrial processing. Cottonseed oil showed the poorest quality profile, with AV (23.3043 ± 3.021 mg KOH/g), %FFA (11.722 ± 1.5195), and PV (99.586 ± 0.8009 meq/kg), reflecting high susceptibility to oxidative rancidity and limited storage stability. The findings are consistent with previous research showing that oil integrity is significantly impacted by extraction method, seed moisture, and storage conditions.

The quality of edible oils is a critical factor for consumer health, yet deterioration through hydrolysis and oxidation can lead to rancidity and the formation of toxic compounds. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the quality of commercially available Glycine max (Soya Bean Oil), Elaeis guineensis (Palm Kernel Oil), and Gossypium hirsutum (Cotton Seed Oil) by determining key degradation indices. Oils were extracted from seeds sourced from a local market using the Soxhlet method. The acid value (AV), percentage free fatty acid (%FFA), and peroxide value (PV) were determined in triplicate for each oil sample using standard titrimetric methods (AOCS). The results revealed profound disparities in quality among the oils. Soya Bean Oil exhibited acceptable quality, characterized by a low acid value (3.35 ± 0.03 mg KOH/g), low %FFA (1.68 ± 0.02%), and a moderate peroxide value (13.07 ± 0.92 meq/kg). In stark contrast, Palm Kernel Oil and Cotton Seed Oil were of exceptionally poor quality, displaying extremely high acid values (23.30 ± 3.02 and 26.13 ± 2.75 mg KOH/g, respectively) and alarmingly high peroxide values (99.59 ± 0.80 and 107.49 ± 3.78 meq/kg, respectively). These findings indicate that while the SBO was of acceptable quality, the palm kernel oil and cotton seed oil samples exhibited severe hydrolytic and oxidative rancidity, far exceeding international safety standards and rendering them unsuitable for consumption. This study highlighted a critical public health issue regarding the quality of some oils available in local markets and underscores the urgent need for stricter quality control measures throughout the supply chain to mitigate health risks associated with consuming degraded oils.