Editing Castor oil (section)

==Safety==
The castor seed contains [[ricin]], a toxic [[lectin]]. Heating during the oil extraction process denatures and deactivates the lectin. Harvesting castor beans, though, may not be without risk.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Auld |first1= DL |last2= Pinkerton |first2= SD |last3= Rolfe |first3= R |last4= Ghetie |first4= V |last5= Lauterbach |first5= BF |display-authors= 4 |title= Selection of castor for divergent concentrations of ricin and ricinus communis agglutinin |journal= Crop Science |volume= 39 |pages=353–7 |date= March–April 1999 |url=http://crop.scijournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/39/2/353 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081012215450/http://crop.scijournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/39/2/353 |archive-date=2008-10-12 |doi=  10.2135/cropsci1999.0011183X003900020008x|access-date=2007-07-31 |issue=2}}</ref> The International Castor Oil Association FAQ document states that castor beans contain an allergenic compound called CB1A. This chemical is described as being virtually nontoxic, but has the capacity to affect people with hypersensitivity. The allergen may be neutralized by treatment with a variety of alkaline agents. The allergen is not present in the castor oil itself.<ref>{{cite web | last=Dierig | first=David A. | title=Lesquerella | work=New Crop FactSHEET | publisher=Center for New Crops & Plant Products, at Purdue University | year=1995 | url=http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/cropfactsheets/Lesquerella.html | access-date=2007-08-01 | archive-date=2007-10-25 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071025022951/http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/cropfactsheets/Lesquerella.html | url-status=live }}</ref>