Castor meal is a concentrated residue matter produced after extraction of oil from castor seeds.Its application is so restricted due to ricin and poor molecular biochemical knowledge about the material.A surprising breakthrough has been made by the discovery of galactinol, a carbohydrate derivative associated with raffinose metabolism in plants to an appreciable extent on mass basis.

Experimental designs including chromatography and mass spectrometry were applied to isolate and confirm the purity of galactinol in castor meal.The scientists further stated that it is exciting as research in past in the concerned field is hindered by a lack of availability of commercial source of galactinol.

Galactinol discovery in castor meal illuminates the potential of castor meal which is currently applied as a field manure in most of the castor growing regions.Identification of high value metabolites would tremendously add the commercial value to this product on an international scale.

For further reference:http://www.springerlink.com/content/h25474813h184r73/