Edible cottonseed flour by air classification of glanded seed: Cost analysis

A new, edible, 65%‐protein cottonseed flour having the characteristics of flour produced from glandless cottonseed has been prepared from milled, hexane‐extracted glanded cottonseed flakes by a simple, practical, economical air classification process. The product has physical and functional characteristics that make it attractive for use in food formulation and it meets the free gossypol standards of both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Protein Advisory Group of the United Nations System. A process flowsheet and a material balance are given: capital costs, manufacturing costs, general expenses, profitability and selling prices are indicated for annual productions of up to 17.5 and 35 million lb of flour in hypothetical industrial‐scale satellite plants having daily capacities of 25 and 50 tons of flour, respectively. It is estimated that fixed capital investment for a 25‐ton/day plant would be $4.0 million, and for a 50‐ton/day plant, $5.5 million. Production of edible flour from prime‐quality cottonseed kernels would cost as little as 15.8 cents/lb and the selling price of flour, allowing for the value of coproducts, would be as low as 23.6, 18.9, and 16.5 cents/lb for payout periods of 2, 3 and 4 years, respectively. Selling price would be competitive with the price of soy protein concentrate over most of the production range studied.