Checkbiotech.org — FYI. Something just seems wrong about this development. Read the whole thing and see what you think. This reminds me of the improved rapeseed oils (normally harmful) which are now sold as Canola Oil. Marketing, marketing, marketing.
Researchers have found a way of reducing gossypol, a powerful toxin in the [cotton] seeds, to a negligible level that allows them to be consumed by humans. At present they are thrown away or fed to cows.
Dr Keerti Rathore, a plant technologist at Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, which carried out the research, said enough cotton was already planted worldwide to supply the protein needs of 500m people.
“The exciting finding is that we have been able to reduce gossypol to a level that is considered safe for human consumption,” said Rathore, whose findings will appear in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Further field and safety trials are needed but if successful the technique could turn out to be the “killer application” that supporters of GM technology have long hoped for. They believe environmentalists would find it hard to object to a crop with the potential to reduce world hunger on such a scale.
Gossypol is not just toxic but is also a powerful natural male contraceptive. The sperm of men who eat foods containing gossypol become deactivated.
This solves two problems:Feed the hungry people and reduce overcrowding by making the not-hungry-anymore-people steril!
Perfect!
Oh, geez. Is it my turn to do this already?
It’s people! Gossypol is people!!
RBG
considered safe
“Considered” and “Safe”. Two words that don’t really go together.
I was going to mention all the underserved children in third world nations gripped by low food security, but I see someone didn’t get the memo and let slip the “h” word. *Grin*
How are we supposed to stay on message like that, #2?
I’ve got to admit, though, I’m conditioned to eat and like crap. It’s remarkable how much more palatable a jar of Ragu Alfredo-flavored cheese product and Polska Kielbasa utility-grade irregulars are when you’re already attuned to the taste of Macaroni and Cheese with wieners.
The article didn’t say it removed ALL the toxin, only to a “safe” level. Would that safe level mean that it won’t kill you? How about make you steril? Ok, well if you send these seeds to third world countries I guess it will kill two birds with one stone. Feed the people that are there and prevent further births…
In this age of information and technology it wouldn’t take long for other scientists to validate the claims or else discover that the level of toxin still caused sterility, but perhaps safely and over a long period. What I’m getting at is that you can’t get away with something like that in the US or Canada (any more).
“All things are poison and nothing is without poison, only the dose permits something not to be poisonous.” -Paracelsus
“enough cotton was already planted worldwide to supply the protein needs of 500m people.”
– don’t we use the cotton to make clothes? Ok, so we can now eat fabric. Terrific. What’s next, Kellogg’s shit-flakes?
“yes, we’ve managed to make flakes out of shit. and you can eat it. they’re grrrrrrrrrrrrrreat!”
Interesting post, John. There’s lots under the radar in this story. Cotton is a highly subsidized crop. The US cotton industry is worth $5.9 billion and we subsidize it for $4.5 billion. That’s a handout, not a business. To protect that favored protected market, we have a punitive tariff on imported cotton. That doesn’t make cotton a good crop for developing countries who would presumably eat the detoxified cottonseeds (they can now buy clothing cheaper than making it). This research reminds me of similar USDA sponsored research to extract protein from tobacco. We feed over 90% of the corn we grow to animals, because we like meat. I’ll bet those places that feed cottonseed to animals would rather eat the meat than processed cottonseeds.
This is a feel-good story that probably offers nothing for feeding the world’s poor, just like tobacco protein.
Maybe I’m not thinking out of the box here, but if you are trying to feed a lot of people, wouldn’t picking something non-toxic and edible as a starting point be a good idea? Maybe not and we should just all look forward to McTirefu Burgers.
With All these health safe foods that are being Used currently,
Including Soya..
Its strange that more and more health problems are being found.
And that regulations arent Always the best.
feed millions of poor AND stop overpopulation!!!
woot gm tech!!
sorry tom didnt see yer post –
/agree w/ #2
#6
I guess you skipped right over my post a few above you…
#5
Sorry, I meant to say “This solves two problems:Feed the very low food secure people and reduce overcrowding by making the not-very-low-food-secure-anymore-people steril!”
As usual the wrong problem is being solved. It’s not that not enough food is being grown in the world to feed everyone. In fact the world grows plenty of food for all. If you’re hungry it’s usually because you can’t afford to buy food or a war or natural disaster is preventing the distribution of food to you. Or combination of these factors.
How will cotton seed fix a war, or earthquake, or drought, or give these people a living wage?
Exactly, Blues. It’s distribution and money. We already grow enough food and there are lots of farmers who are dying (literally) for a profitable crop. Now if the feds want to apply that $4.5 billion a year to feeding the (what is it?) food-security-challenged, we could do a lot more good (and pay less for cotton). But Texas would not be pleased.
If there’s a lot of cottonseed being discarded (not fed to animals), and if the process is safe and cheap, it may be worthwhile. But growing a real food crop will yield more food than cotton seed. I notice the research is from TX, where most of our corporate-cotton-welfare dollars go. No surprise there.
… the amount of water required to crop cotton is comparable with rice… so the USA had better be a damned wet country if you are going to survive on cotton seed protein.
US cotton farmers have had protection in the past (diminishing now), so I guess someone has figured out that they had better stimulate higher demand for the stuff if the farmers want to stay in the cotton business. (Damn that Fair Trade stuff, huh? 😉
Cheers.