Aqueous acetone extraction of cottonseed

Extraction of cottonseed flakes with acetone containing 25–30% water removes essentially all of the gossypol, most of the free fatty acids, about half the raffinose, and negligible quanti‐ties of neutral oil and protein. After drying and re‐flaking of the aqueous acetone extracted marc, the oil may be removed either by hexane extrac‐tion or pressing to produce light‐colored meals exceptionally low in gossypol pigments, high in protein and available lysine content. Crude oils are light‐colored, contain negligible amounts of gossypol, are high in neutral oil content, and re‐fine and bleach to a prime color value. The pro‐cess is effective for the removal of such toxic mold metabolites as aflatoxins from mold‐damaged seed.