Nutritional and anti-nutritional factors present in oil seeds: An Overview

India is one of the major oilseeds’ growers and importer of edible oils. India’s vegetable oil economy is the world’s fourth-largest after the USA, China & Brazil. Oilseeds are rich sources of nutrition and energy. The oils and fats present in them are beneficial as industrial raw material and food fats. The proteins present in some oil seeds and their cakes are edible to humans while the remaining are useful as animal feeds. Oilseeds also contain carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Oil seeds and oilseed meals have an essential role in relieving the malnutrition and calorie nutrition of the human and animal population. Many compounds present in oilseed have been found to have anti-nutritional effects. These include trypsin inhibitors, goitrogens, aflatoxin, phenolic compound, gossypol, oxalic acid, chlorogenic acid, protease inhibitors, lectins, saponin allergens, phytic acid and glucosinolate, this anti-nutritional either reduce the digestibility of oilseed or cause toxic effects on their consumption. It is, therefore, essential to eliminate these substances by processing or remove them by genetic manipulation.