Cottonseed oil: extraction, nutrition and health properties reviewed
What it found
Cottonseed oil is rich in vitamin E compounds and has a fatty acid mix that may support heart health, according to this review.
The authors also describe several ways to extract it.
What they found
Studies in people and animals
Health properties
The review reports that cottonseed oil has anti-inflammatory and heart-protective properties, based on existing scientific studies.
Other findings
Vitamin E content
Unprocessed cottonseed oil contains about 1000 ppm of tocopherols, which are vitamin E active compounds. Up to one third of these can be lost during processing.
Fatty acid profile
Cottonseed oil contains 26 to 35 percent saturated fats, 42 to 52 percent polyunsaturated fats, and 18 to 24 percent monounsaturated fats.
Extraction methods
Cottonseed oil can be extracted using microwave assisted extraction, aqueous or solvent extraction, aqueous ethanol extraction, subcritical water extraction, supercritical carbon dioxide extraction, and enzyme assisted extraction.
Other uses
Besides cooking, cottonseed oil is used in biofuel, livestock, cosmetics, agriculture, and chemicals.
What the authors conclude
- They provide a comprehensive review of cottonseed oil, its positive benefits, fatty acid profile, extraction techniques, and health applications.
- They assess numerous physicochemical properties of cottonseed oil for the potential market.
- They evaluate its nutritional quality and health benefits.
How it was done
Cottonseed oil is getting more attention because it is high in fiber and resists spoiling. It has a good reputation in the global edible oil market for its fatty acid profile and possible anti-inflammatory and heart-protective properties.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This is a review of existing studies, not a new experiment. It cannot show cause and effect between cottonseed oil and any health outcome.
- The review does not state how many people or animals were studied, or for how long, so the strength of the evidence is unclear.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Jiangnan University, China; Jiangsu University, China; Barani Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Chakwal
The paper
- Title
- Cottonseed oil: A review of extraction techniques, physicochemical, functional, and nutritional properties
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Evidence
- Studies in people · animals · lab
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Riaz T, Iqbal MW, Mahmood S, et al (2023). Cottonseed oil: A review of extraction techniques, physicochemical, functional, and nutritional properties. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition. doi:10.1080/10408398.2021.1963206PubMed 34387525DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error