STUDY ON UTILIZATION OF GOSSYPOL BY FUNGI ISOLATED FROM COTTONSEED AND MYCOTOXIN CONSTITUENTS OF COTTONSEED AND COTTONSEED BY - PRODUCTS

Abstract

Some varieties of cottonseeds cultivated in Nigeria and cottonseed by products such as cottonseed cake, cottonkemel, cottonoil ( crude) and refined cotton oil (edible) have been analyzed for their gossypol, protein and lipid content. Studies were also carried out to determine the mycotoxin and fungal contamination of cottonseed. The gossypol content of the samples ranged from 0.0256%. to 0.3802% to Aflatoxin, zearalenone and ochratoxin A were screened for in the cottonseed and cottonseed by products. The three mycotoxins were not detected in any of the samples. Studies were also carried out to determine the fungal contamination of cottonseeds, and the potential utilization of gossypol as sole source of carbon and energy by the isolates fungi. Of twenty - five fungal isolates obtained from cottonseed, only 2 (8%) of Penicillium spp. did not utilize gossypol as sole source of carbon and energy at varying concentration of 0.1 %; 0.2% and 0.5%. Mucor spp and Rhizopus spp were the most efficient utilizers of gossypol. This was followed by Aspergillus jlavus, Aspergillus spp and Penicillium spp. The results obtained provide a clear indication of the promising role fungal could play in utilizing and transforming gossypol into non-toxic compounds to improve the nutritive quality of cottonseed by products.