Excipient (pharmacologically inactive substance)

What is it?

Cottonseed oil is a vegetable oil extracted from the seeds of the cotton plant after the cotton lint has been removed. It must be refined to remove gossypol, a naturally occurring toxin that protects the cotton plant from insect damage. Cottonseed oil has a high ratio of saturated fat, and in the diet may be a poor choice over olive or canola oil. Cottonseed oil contains about 26% saturated fatty acids (primarily palmitic and some stearic). Cottonseed oil may also contain traces of pesticides used when farming cotton crops. Cottonseed oil is a favorite for mayonnaise, salad dressing, and other food products because of its flavor stability. Cotton (oil) is also one of the big four (soy, corn, canola and cotton) genetically modified crops grown around the world.