ADVANCED BIOTECHNOLOGICAL PROCESSING OF COTTONSEED OIL AND MEAL

The accelerating shift of the global scientific-industrial paradigm from extractive linear and chemically intensive systems toward biotechnology-based circular and resource-efficient frameworks has fundamentally altered the conceptual value of agricultural by-products. In this broader transformation cottonseed - once regarded as a secondary residue of the cotton industry - is increasingly recognized as a strategically significant raw material owing to its unique biochemical architecture and its multi-vector potential for conversion into high value-added products. Cottonseed oil and meal encapsulate an intricate interplay of lipids proteins carbohydrates micronutrients enzyme-active compounds and phenolic toxicants - most notably gossypol - embedded within complex structural matrices. Traditional processing pathways which prioritize crude oil extraction and low-grade feed applications have historically underutilized this biochemical wealth and have been constrained by low conversion efficiency environmental burdens and product quality limitations.