Castor oil is derived from the bean of the castor plant,
Ricinus communis
. The seeds of the castor plant are produced in racemes or clusters of capsules. The capsules contain three seeds protected by a hull that is removed prior to processing. Commercial processing of the seed consists of heating the seed, crushing, and then processing in solvent extraction units. The recovery of the oil produced goes through four stages to produce a better quality oil. Stages are degumming, removal of free fatty acids, deodorization, and decolorization. India is the largest producer of castor seeds in the world. Arkema is the world's largest user of castor oil for one product (Rilsan Nylon 11).The toxicological properties of castor oil have not been fully studied. Castor seed are highly toxic. Uses for castor oil are numerous; preparation of nylon 11, urethanes, in surface coatings, lubricants, textiles, cosmetics, surfactants and dispersants, and biofuels.