Gossypol dosage

Gossypol analysis is essential for assessing the safety and quality of cotton-derived raw materials, including cottonseed cakes, flours, and vegetable oils. This natural phenolic compound, found in the seeds and roots of Gossypium spp. , is known for its biological properties but also for its potential toxicity when consumed in excess.

Gossypol analysis allows for the determination of its concentration in products intended for animal or human consumption and ensures their compliance with regulatory thresholds. It constitutes a key control in the agri-food, nutraceutical, and agricultural sectors.

Gossypol: a natural compound with two sides

Gossypol (CAS No. 303-45-7) is a yellow polyphenol that occurs naturally in cotton plant tissues. It plays a protective role for the plant against insects and fungi, but it is considered an antinutrient for animals and humans. At high concentrations, it can interfere with iron metabolism, disrupt reproduction, and cause toxic effects on the liver and kidneys.

Gossypol exists in two forms: free gossypol , which is biologically active and potentially toxic, and bound gossypol , which is less readily available but indicates chronic contamination. Therefore, determining the total and free gossypol levels is essential for assessing the safety of cotton-derived products.

Importance of gossypol dosage

The dosage of gossypol is part of a quality control and safety process for plant-based raw materials:

• to verify the conformity of cottonseed cakes and flours intended for animal feed,
• to control crude or refined vegetable oils for human consumption,
• to assess the safety of plant extracts used in nutraceuticals,
• to prevent antinutritional effects in food and animal formulations,
• to ensure compliance with current European regulations.

In the context of animal feed, the maximum levels of free gossypol are set by Regulation (EU) 2017/2229 , specifically at 20 mg/kg for compound feed intended for poultry and 500 mg/kg for feed intended for adult cattle. Analysis of this parameter is therefore mandatory for placing products containing cotton or its derivatives on the market.

Analytical method used

The concentration of gossypol is determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) , a reference technique that allows for the precise separation and quantification of free and total gossypol. This method relies on the spectrophotometric detection of the compound after extraction in a suitable solvent.

HPLC offers excellent sensitivity and high reproducibility, ensuring that results comply with regulatory and normative requirements. Depending on the type of matrix, the analysis may be preceded by a specific preparation step to eliminate lipid or pigment interferences.

For a complete monitoring of the quality of plant materials, this service can be combined with other analyses from the YesWeLab catalogue, such as the determination of aflatoxins , the determination of alkaloids, or the determination of phytic acid , which are also involved in the safety and digestibility of plant products.

Sectors of application

The dosage of gossypol mainly concerns:

• animal nutrition , for the control of cottonseed, soybean or rapeseed meal used in protein formulations,
• the agri-food industry , for verifying the purity of cottonseed oils and detecting toxic residues,
• the nutraceutical sector , within the framework of developing safe and standardized plant extracts,
• agronomic research , for monitoring gossypol in genetically modified or weakly gossypolized cotton varieties.

The analyses can be supplemented by measuring total polyphenols to characterize the overall antioxidant profile, or by measuring flavonoids to assess the bioactive cofactors present in the plant extracts. This data allows for a better understanding of the phytochemical profile and the safety of using the raw materials.

Carrying out analyses at YesWeLab

YesWeLab offers gossypol testing through a network of partner laboratories specializing in the analysis of contaminants and phytochemicals. These laboratories have high-performance HPLC equipment and are, for the most part, certified and/or accredited according to ISO 17025 and the COFRAC standard.

Our scientific team assists food manufacturers, nutraceutical formulators and plant ingredient laboratories in defining the most appropriate analytical protocol: determination of free, total or differentiated gossypol according to matrices.

Thanks to its digital platform, YesWeLab centralizes the management of analyses, tracks the progress of samples, and allows users to view results reports online. Since 2020, numerous players in the agri-food and animal nutrition sectors have trusted YesWeLab for quality control and regulatory compliance of their plant-based raw materials.

Technical data

• CAS No.: 303-45-7
• Method: HPLC
• Expertise: Physicochemical, nutritional
• Business sectors: Nutraceuticals, plants, animal nutrition
• Measured parameters: free and total gossypol

For any specific analysis request or need for technical advice, contact our team now to obtain a personalized quote and tailored support.