Cotton crop scraps become healthy snacks
24 November 2006
Plant scientists have turned a textile industry leftover into a nutritious meal - which they hope will feed millions of people worldwide. Cotton seeds are usually poisonous, but through genetic modification the researchers have made them safe to eat.
Antenna investigates...
Image: Stock.XCHNG/Fernando Weberich
Cotton seeds are packed with protein and could be a great source of food. But regular cotton plants produce a toxic chemical called gossypol which can damage our liver and heart. Now scientists have worked out a way to stop the seeds going to waste.
'We used genetic engineering to silence the gene that tells the seed to make gossypol,' explains Keerti Rathore, a plant biotechnologist from the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station.
Lead scientist Keerti Rathore examines the new cotton plants in his lab.
Image: Kathleen Phillips, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station
But this wasn't a simple, one-step process. The scientists introduced a totally new gene into the cotton plants to intercept the messages from the gossypol gene. With no 'make gossypol' instructions getting through, the seeds stayed poison-free.
'We did this without affecting gossypol production in other areas of the plant where it's needed to defend the plant from insects and diseases,' says Keerti Rathore.
Insects like this bollworm love snacking on cotton plants. Gossypol protects the plants from these hungry mini-beasts.
USDA/Scott Bauer
The scientists are hoping their work could help feed some of the world's poorest people in parts of Africa, Asia and South America. At the moment, 44 million tons of cottonseed are produced every year that we can't efficiently use.
'Cotton is grown mainly in developing countries and by small farmers - these people could benefit hugely from this new variety because they will be able to use the cotton fibres for textiles and also the cottonseed for food,' says Keerti Rathore.
Image: USDA/Bill Tarpenning
So what do the seeds taste like?
'People generally find the flavours quite pleasant - I've tasted roasted cotton seeds and they actually taste pretty good. They remind me of chickpeas and they definitely taste better than soya beans!' says Keerti Rathore.
Cotton seeds look unappetising but are very nutritious and could feed 500 million people a year.
istockphoto.com/Brasil2
'You can either eat them directly, or you can extract the oil from the seeds to use in cooking and then mix the remaining powder with wheat to make high-protein bread.'
But will the new seeds actually get to the farmers who need them? Alex Wijeratna, a campaigner from ActionAid, is sceptical.
'We have heard a lot of hype about how genetically modified crops like these are going to feed the world. But the corporate control of these technologies means any potential benefits are unlikely to reach the poorest of the poor. And if they do they will make farmers reliant upon individual companies.'
Alex Wijeratna from the Food Rights Campaign, ActionAid UK
Image: Eve Mitchell
Keerti Rathore admits that there are many hurdles to get over before the seeds get into the hands of farmers, not least because GM crops have to pass lots of tests before they're approved for planting. But he's still optimistic.
'My hope is that charitable foundations will put their support behind this research because of the huge impact this could have on world hunger and nutrition. If this happens, I don't see any reason why the seeds would cost more to farmers.'
It could be ten years before lab seedlings like this make their way into farmers' fields.
Image: Kathleen Phillips, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station