Cotton is a valuable crop for its fiber. Crop breeders at Texas A&M have now developed a variety that has edible seeds as well. Regular cotton seeds have a toxic substance in them which helps protect the plant but is poisonous to humans. Breeders took this substance out of the seeds only, allowing them to be safe for human consumption. The leaves and fibers still have the protective substance.
Comparison of regular cotton seed on left, with TAM66274 on the right. Notice the darker color of regular cotton seeds – this indicates the presence of gossypol, a substance toxic to humans. Gossypol plays a major role in protecting cotton plants from pests, but making the seeds available for human consumption of this high-protein seed was a research goal at Texas A&M for several years.
Wild cotton, on the left, is not good for spinning. On the right, the soft, spinnable, weavable cotton fiber that U.S. customers are used to. Both naturally contain gossypol, which protects against pests.