Comprehensive characterization of cold-pressing extracted hemp seed oil

Picariello, G., Siano, F., Sorrentino, G.,Volpe, M. G.

Abstract

In the last few years, there has been a strong, renewed attention toward hemp (Cannabis sativa) as an alternative crop to produce food ingredients endowed with health-promoting properties. Similarly, there is a strong interest in the introduction of non-conventional lipid sources with beneficial effects, especially for the prevention of metabolic disorders and cardiovascular diseases. <BR />More or less recent investigations have associated hemp seed oil (HSO) to a range of health benefits. <BR />We addressed a series of analytical strategies to comprehensively characterize the lipid classes of compounds in HSO extracted by cold-pressing. <BR />The fatty acid profile as well as phytosterols and tocopherols were determined by gas chromatography (GC)-flame ionization detector (FID). Interestingly, HSO contained 14-15% of &alpha;-linolenic acid (C18:3, &omega;-3), which positively contributes todetermine the nutritional quality indexes of HSO (i.e. atherogenicity and thrombogenicity indexes). In the unsaponifiable fraction, &beta;-sitosterol and &gamma;-tocopherol were the predominant phytosterol and tocopherol, respectively. <BR />Intact lipids were analyzed with high-resolution electrospray ionization-Orbitrap^TM-mass spectrometry using a “shotgun” lipidomic approach. The most abundant triacylglycerol of HSO was C54:6, as a consequence ofthe relatively high amount oflinoleic (C18:2) and linolenic (C18:3) fatty acids. Oxidized triacylglycerols were detected at a very low amount, confirming that cold-pressing minimizes the deterioration of polyunsaturated fatty acids and other susceptible compounds. Similarly, the level of diacylglycerols was low, indicating that cold-press HSO is marginally affected by hydrolytic processes. HSO also contained appreciable amounts of phospholipids (mainly phosphatidylcholine) and still uncharacterized glycerolipid components, probably glycolipids. <BR />The distinctive compositional properties render HSO a candidate oil for specific nutraceutical applications, which await to be confirmed through dedicate structure-activity correlations. Further studies are required to complete the characterization of HSO at a molecular level, also including regioisomerism and the determination of minor polar non-lipid components.

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IMEKO TC

TC23 - Metrology in Food and Nutrition

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