Hemp (<i>Cannabis sativa</i> L.) seeds nutritional aspects and food production perspectives: A review

Abstract

This review is devoted to an analysis of the hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) seeds’ nutritional aspects and food production perspectives, that can become a valuable source of multifunctional components for functional food production. Cannabis sativa L. is a multipurpose crop with lowenvironmental impact traditionally cultivated in Western cultures for fiber production. The propagation of synthetic fibers and the production of intoxicating drugs from certain narcotic strains resulted in the banning of its cultivation. Thus, culturing the varieties that are widely known as „industrial hemp“ has only been practiced for the past two decades. Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is grown not only for its economic importance but also for the seeds’ nutritional value. Hemp seeds consists of 25–35% lipids with perfectly balanced fatty acids (FAs); 20–25% proteins, which are easy to digest and contain all essential amino acids; 20–30% carbohydrates, mainly dietary fiber; and vitamins and minerals. Besides its nutritional value, hempseed is also rich in antioxidants and bioactive compounds such as bioactive peptides, polyphenols with high free radicals scavenging activity, and cannabinoids. Therefore, this study reviews the scientific knowledge about Cannabis sativa L. seeds and their progressive aspects of cultivation, functional and therapeutic potential, and its use in functional food production.

Computational Screening for the Dipeptidyl Peptidase-IV Inhibitory Peptides from Putative Hemp Seed Hydrolyzed Peptidome as a Potential Antidiabetic Agent

“…For example, short, low-molecular-weight peptides from Bambara bean (hydrolyzed by alcalase); soy, quinoa, and lupine (subjected to sequential hydrolysis with subtilisin–trypsin–flavourzyme); and jack bean (digested by pepsin–pancreatin) have been experimentally shown to possess DPPIV inhibitory properties through in vitro enzyme activity tests [ 18 , 29 , 60 , 61 ]. Currently, the idea of predicting and simulating the digestion of plant high-abundance proteins through gastrointestinal tract enzymes (pepsin, trypsin, pancreatin, and chymotrypsin) to represent the peptidome profile in the human gut after a meal has been applied to many edible plants [ 21 , 24 , 29 , 62 , 63 , 64 ]. This approach allows for the observation of not only the availability of these bioactive peptides but also their absorption potential using the everted gut sac method [ 29 ].…”

“…Edestin, a specific globulin protein, is the most abundant protein in hemp seed. Together with albumin, the second most prevalent protein, they make up 60–80% of the seed’s protein content, while vicilin is present in minimal amounts compared to other seed proteins [ 19 , 23 , 24 ]. The health benefits of hemp seed protein hydrolysate show promise.…”