SOME ANTI-NUTRITIONAL COMPONENTS IN NIGERIA COTTONSEED AND COTTONSEED MEALS

Cottonseed of three Nigerian commercial varieties of cotton, three locational composite seed cotton and cottonseed meals were investigated with respect to their content of gossypol (free and total), tannins, phytin and phytin phosphorus. Free and total gossypol ranged from 1.14 to 1.34% and 1.21 to 1.59%, respectively in cottonseed kernels, and 0.028 to 0.064% and 0.413 to 0.831%, respectively in cotton seed meals. Varietal and environmental factors appeared to influence the gossypol content of cottonseed while the variability in the meals was due to the effects of conditions under which the seed was processed. Tannins ranged from 26.25 to 38.50 mg/100g in the seed kernels and 3.13 to 6.75 mg/100g in the meals. From all indications varietalIocational and processing factors appeared to influence the tannin content of the seed and meals in a similar manner as they influenced the gossypol content. Phytin and phytin phosphorus did not vary appreciably between or within seed type, neither did processing of seed appear to affect their contents in the meals.