Can castor oil contain “ricin”, poison from the plant?
Ricin is a poison that can be made from the waste left over from processing castor beans. Castor beans are processed throughout the world to make castor oil. Ricin is part of the waste “mash” produced when castor oil is made. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has categorized castor oil as “generally recognized as safe and effective” (GRASE) for over-the-counter use as a laxative. Undecylenic acid, a castor oil derivative, is also FDA-approved for over-the-counter use on skin disorders or skin problems. Ricinoleic acid is the main component of castor oil and it exerts anti-inflammatory effects. The castor seed contains ricin, a toxic protein removed by cold pressing and filtering.[7] However, harvesting castor beans is not without risk, [8] allergenic compounds found on the plant surface can cause permanent nerve damage, making the harvest of castor beans a human health risk. India, Brazil and China are the major crop producers and the workers suffer harmful side effe
