Cottonseed oil is inexpensive and widely used in the food service and snack food industries. It doesn't require hydrogenation and has a long shelf life because of naturally occurring antioxidants. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires cottonseed oil to be specifically listed as an ingredient if it is present or sometimes present in a packaged food, and whether it has undergone partial or full hydrogenation. Some people are allergic or have a sensitivity to cottonseed oil.
Labeling Guidelines
The Code of Federal Regulations Title 21, Part 101 lists requirements for food labeling. Ingredients must be listed by common name in descending order by weight. The label also must list any fat or oil in a food.
If cottonseed oil is blended with another oil, it may be listed as "vegetable oil shortening (soybean and cottonseed oil)." Cottonseed oil is also hydrogenated, particularly when it's blended with other oils, and would appear on the label as something like "hydrogenated vegetable oil (soybean, cottonseed and palm oils)." Because of regulations requiring trans-fats to be listed, hydrogenated oils will appear under this listing. Declaring the amounts of mono- and polyunsaturated oils is voluntary.
Nutritional Value
One tablespoon of cottonseed oil has 120 calories and 13.6 grams of fat, of which 3.5 grams are saturated, 2.4 grams are monounsaturated and 7.1 grams are polyunsaturated. It also has 4.8 mg of vitamin E and 3.4 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin K. The oil contains more than 50 percent omega-6 fatty acids and has 70 percent unsaturated and 26 percent saturated fat. Soybean, canola and sunflower oils are lower in saturated fat and omega-6 and higher in unsaturated fat, and therefore are considered healthier.
Toxins, Allergies and Sensitivities
Cotton is not a food crop, and cotton seeds were grandfathered in by the FDA in the 1970s. This crop is sprayed with pesticides and herbicides to ward off pests, fungus and disease. The seeds naturally contain gossypol, a heart and liver toxin. Most cotton today has been genetically modified to reduce the levels of gossypol in the seeds.
The FDA requires major food allergens to be listed as such in food ingredients. Milk, egg, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts and soybeans make up this list of allergens. Cottonseed oil isn't considered an allergen, but it contains proteins with a structure that is similar to those in peanuts. Cottonseed oil allergy or sensitivity can be determined by your doctor or allergist, usually with a skin test.
Where to Find It
Cottonseed oil is found primarily in potato chips and fried snacks, peanut butter, boxed cereals, crackers, cookies, packaged breads, salad dressings, mayonnaise, marinades, margarine, artificial fats and artificial butter. If you have or suspect an allergy to cottonseed oil or choose not to include it in your diet, you can avoid these foods by reading ingredient labels carefully. Natural grocers often have healthy alternatives containing higher quality oils, and homemade foods won't contain this ingredient, since cottonseed oil isn't available for retail consumers.
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