Many people don’t realize that we cook legumes and other seeds to increase their digestibility and nutrient availability. Otherwise, chemicals in the plants would sicken us.
Some plant products defy such home grown processing – the cotton seed was one. Until now.
As reported in the Christian Science Monitor, a new genetically engineered form is being developed which could turn the otherwise indigestible seeds into a high protein food that could feed 500 million people if the variant is deemed safe to cultivate.
For every two pounds of cotton fiber produced, the same fields produce three and one half pounds of seed.
The full range of other side effects is not known… the variant could be too susceptible to pests to be commercially viable to grow.
How can you profit from turning otherwise disgarded items into useful products?
Photo courtesy Christian Science Monitor & National Academy of Science
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