Q. Despite the higher protein content, Castor Cake is not used as a livestock feed. In this context, consider the following statements:
- There are toxins in Caster Cake which make it unsuitable as livestock feed
- Main uses of Castor Cake are in Pharma industry and as fertilizer & fuel
Select the correct option from the codes given below:
Answer:
Both 1 & 2
Notes: There is around 46-55% Castor Oil in Castor seeds by weight. It is viscous, pale yellow, non-volatile liquid and its main component is the ricinoleic acid as main fatty acid. The high content of this acid make it suitable for chemical reactions and that is one of the reasons that it is used in the pharma industry. Castor cake is not edible because of presence of toxins such as ricin, ricinine etc. and they are allergens. There have been some studies to detoxify the Castor Cake, but commercially, it has not been used as animal feed so far. Castor Oil has been found a potential source of bio-diesel, but below 50°C, it’s viscosity is so much that it is not as use ful as other sources. The other problem is the Hygroscopy of this oil, and relatively higher water content is a problem in uses as biodiesel.