SUB-ACUTE TOXICITY STUDIES OF GLANDLESS COTTONSEED KERNELS FED TO RATS

Glandless cottonseed kernels were fed as raw, cooked or roasted ground flours. The glandless cottonseed flour (20%) was added to laboratory chow (80%). The control was lab chow (94%) plus cottonseed oil (6%). Sexually mature rats (F-O) were fed the diets for two weeks prior to being bred, and through lactation. From their offspring (F-1) 50 males and 50 females were selected from each group. The F-1 rats were fed the diets from weaning until 24 weeks of age. At 13 weeks of age, the rats were bred, and their offspring (F-2) were raised to weaning. There were no statistically significant differences due to treatment in the number of litters born, litter size, or weights of the young of the F-O or the F-1 females. Growth and food consumption were similar for F-1 rats in all treatments. There were no detrimental effects due to feeding glandless cottonseed kernels.