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Review Article
Virgin hemp seed oil: An interesting niche product
MRI – Max Rubner-Institute, Federal Research Institute for Nutrition and Food, Münster, Germany
Virgin hemp seed oil is not widespread on the market, although it is characterised by an interesting fatty
acid composition with a high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Linoleic acid is the predominant fatty
acid, which comes, together with a-linolenic acid (18:3n-3), to approximately 80% of the total fatty acids.
From a nutritional point of view, up to 7% g-linolenic acid (18:3n-6) and 2.5% stearidonic acid (18:4n-3)
are very interesting. The total amount of tocopherols is high between 80 and 110 mg/100 g, with g-toco-
pherol as the main tocopherol (85%). Due to the high amount of unsaturated fatty acids, hemp seed oil is
very susceptible to oxidative deterioration, which results in a fast impairment of the oil during storage. In
addition, the high amounts of chlorophyll in the oil due to harvesting of high amounts of immature seeds
require light protection, which is often neglected because of merchandising purposes. The virgin oil is
characterised by a nutty taste with a slightly bitter aftertaste. The use of virgin hemp seed oil is recom-
mended during mild processing of food without heat.
Keywords: g-Linolenic acid / Hemp seed oil / Stearidonic acid / Virgin oil
Received: December 17, 2007; accepted: March 7, 2008
DOI 10.1002/ejlt.200700311
harvested from the field shows a very heterogeneous quality, for olive oil, extra-virgin or virgin rapeseed oil, the production
resulting in mature seeds together with green unripe ones. of virgin hemp seed oil can be interesting.
This leads to high chlorophyll contents due to the unripe
seeds. Additionally, unripe seeds contain higher amounts of
moisture, which influences the moisture content of the whole 4 Fatty acid composition
material stored together and at least the taste and smell of the
resulting oil. The fatty acid profile is another important criterion for the
High-quality virgin hemp seed oil is distinguished by a evaluation of an oilseed crop, because it characterises the
light to dark green colour and has a pleasant nutty taste, suitability of the oil for certain applications more than any
sometimes accompanied by a slightly bitter aftertaste. As a other parameter of an oilseed.
result of the high content of unsaturated fatty acids, the oil Hemp seed oil is unusually high in unsaturated fatty
often shows a rancid aroma resulting from the deterioration of acids and the predominant fatty acids are linoleic acid and
the fatty acids. Therefore, a very fast bottling together with the a-linolenic acid, which amount to up to 80 g/100 g of the
use of nitrogen is recommended to improve the storage sta- total fatty acids [6–9]. Figure 1 shows the average variation
bility of this highly sensitive virgin oil. of the fatty acid composition of the hemp seed varieties
given in Table 1. The ratio between n-6 and n-3 fatty acids
is 3 : 1. On the other side, the oil is low in saturated fatty
3 Oil content acids, which consist mainly of palmitic and stearic acid in
amounts of approximately 9g/100g, with palmitic acid as the
One important criterion to assess the economical value of an predominant saturated fatty acid.
oilseed is the oil content, because this value defines the In addition to the fatty acids found in most of the com-
amount of oil extractable by certain extraction methods. In monly used edible oils, hemp seed oil contains remarkable
hemp seed, the amount of oil is between 28 and 35 g/100 g [4– amounts of g-linolenic acid (18:3n-6) and stearidonic acid
6], depending on the variety, the year of cultivation, the cli- (18:4n-3). Both fatty acids act in the human body as pre-
matic conditions and the location. The oil content is a little bit cursors for the synthesis of very-long-chain fatty acids and of
lower than in rapeseeds with an oil content of about 45 g/ eicosanoids. In the literature, the amount of g-linolenic acid is
100 g, which has been deeply improved by breeding research described as in the range from 0.34 to 6.8 g/100 g, depending
over decades of years, but it is higher than in soybeans with an on the variety, the growing conditions and the field site [6–8].
oil content of about 20 g/100 g. Higher amounts of this fatty acid are synthesised in evening
Therefore extraction of hemp seeds by a screw press for primrose (Oenothera macrocarpa) (8.5 g/100 g) and borage
the production of virgin oil is worthwhile from an economical (Borago officinalis) (16.3 and 20.5 g/100 g, respectively) [10,
point of view, with an average oil content of more than 30% 11]. The occurrence of stearidonic acid is limited to a few
oil. By this method, 60–80% of oil can be extracted from the plant families. Mölleken and Theimer [7] and Callaway et al.
seed material, depending on the settings of the screw press. [12] found stearidonic acid in hemp seed oil in amounts up to
Taking into account the high average price for this niche oil on 2.5 g/100 g, while Matthäus et al. [6] specified the amount of
the market, which is remarkably higher than the average prices stearidonic acid between 0.4 and 1.5 g/100 g in 2000 and 0.5
and 1.6 g/100 g in 2001, with a mean amount of about 1.0 g/ 5 Tocopherols
100 g in both years. The amount of the monounsaturated fatty
acid oleic acid ranges between 7 and 16 g/100 g [6, 9]. The amount and composition of tocopherols and tocotrienols in
With respect to optimised nutrition, hemp seed oil obtained the oil is a further important feature of oilseeds. In hemp seed oil,
from seeds either after cold pressing by a screw press in form of Matthäus et al. [6] found total tocopherols in amounts ranging
virgin oil or after extraction by solvent is a very interesting between 41 and 102 mg/100 g in 2000, with a mean amount of
supplementation to commonly used edible oils. In addition to 77 mg/100 g, and between 66 and 111 mg/100 g in 2001, with a
high amounts of linoleic acid and a-linolenic acid, it also con- mean amount of 80 mg/100 g (Fig. 2). Tocotrienols were not
tains significant amounts of g-linolenic acid and stearidonic detected. Similar amounts were described by Oomah et al. [1]
acid. Both fatty acids have some special relevance for human with a total amount of 79.7 mg/100 g. The predominant toco-
nutrition, because g-linolenic acid is normally derived from pherol in the oil is g-tocopherol representing about 85% of the
linoleic acid and serves as an intermediary for the formation of total tocopherols. The amount of the other tocopherols is low,
long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and eicosanoids. Eico- with about 5% for a- and d-tocopherol and less than 1% for b-
sanoids are short-lived, hormone-like substances that play an tocopherol and plastochromanol-8 [6]. Oomah et al. [1] found
important role in the control of vital processes ranging from the the ratio between the tocopherols in hemp seed oil as 5 : 2 : 90 : 3
control of inflammation and vascular tone to initiation of con- for a/b/g/d-tocopherol, respectively.
tractions during delivery [13, 14]. In mammals, the conversion Tocopherols act as natural antioxidants against oxidative
of linoleic acid to g-linolenic acid is slow, especially during deterioration of the oil, but also as vitamin E in human nutri-
stress, ageing or diseases (hypertension, diabetes, etc.). If the tion [22–24]. They are able to reduce the risk of cardiovas-
conversion from linoleic acid to g-linolenic acid by the enzyme cular diseases, cancer and age-related macular degeneration
D-6-desaturase is disturbed, a dietary supplementation with g- [25]. In nature, four different derivatives of tocopherols and
linolenic acid can help to improve the situation [15, 16]. Posi- tocotrienols (a-, b-, g-, d-) can be found, differing in the
tive effects of g-linolenic acid have been observed on patients methylation of the chroman ring. The antioxidant activity
with rheumatoid arthritis and atopic dermatitis [17, 18]. increases for tocopherols and tocotrienols in the order a to d,
From recent studies it became obvious that dietary stear- whereas the biological activity is opposite to the antioxidant
idonic acid increased eicosapentaenoic acid more efficiently activity [26, 27]. Another member of this class of compounds
than a-linolenic acid. This conclusion leads to the assumption is plastochromanol-8 (P-8). Its structure is similar to that of g-
that vegetable oils containing this fatty acid may present an tocopherol, but its basic molecular structure is a chromanol-6
interesting source of n-3 fatty acids that is more effective in ring in which methyl groups are located at positions 2, 7 and
increasing tissue n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid concentra- 8. The number of isoprene units on the side chain of posi-
tions than the current a-linolenic acid-containing vegetable tion 2 is variable. Plastochromanol-8 is described as being
oils [19]. Stearidonic acid is also interesting for people who more effective against oxidative deterioration than a-toco-
suffer from a deficit in their D-6-desaturase function. An ad- pherol [28], while tocotrienols are less helpful in inhibiting
ditional supplementation of stearidonic acid can improve the autoxidation than tocopherols [29].
formation of eicosanoids for people with such a deficit [20].
The ratio between n-6 and n-3 fatty acids is even lower
than the recommendations of the nutrition societies of Ger- Table 1. Origin of the different genotypes.
many, Austria and Switzerland (D-A-CH recommendations
for nutrition), which define the optimal ratio as 4 : 1 to 5 : 1 No. Genotype Origin Sex type Source
[21]. The Western European diets show more or less a ratio of
1 52092 Turkey dioecious BAZ
10 : 1. Therefore, implementation of hemp seed oil into the 2 52137 Turkey dioecious BAZ
diet would shift the ratio towards the D-A-CH recommenda- 3 Beniko Poland monoecious Saatbau Linz
tions. On the other hand, it has to be taken into consideration 4 Bialobrezeskie Poland monoecious Saatbau Linz
that linoleic acid is highly susceptible to oxidation, resulting in 5 Dneprovskaya Ukraine monoecious IBC
the favoured formation of oxidised LDL-cholesterol respon- odnodomnaya 14
sible for the development of arteriosclerosis. The increased 6 Epsilon 68 France monoecious LAP
propensity of polyunsaturated fatty acids to oxidation leads to 7 Fasamo Germany monoecious FAL
an uptake of oxidised LDL by macrophages, which settle in 8 Fédora 19 France hybrid FAL
the arteries as foam cells. This is the basis for arteriosclerosis. population§
9 Fédrina 74 France hybrid FAL
Additionally, oxidation products from polyunsaturated fatty
population§
acids play an important roll in aging processes and develop-
10 Félina 34 France hybrid FAL
ment of tumours. Thus, nowadays it is recommended to lower population§
the uptake of linoleic acid and to increase the uptake of 11 Férimon France monoecious FAL
monounsaturated oleic acid. From this point of view, a mod- 12 Fibrimon 56 France monoecious BAZ
erate consumption of hemp seed oil is recommended.
§
Population with 50% monoecious and 50% female plants.
IPK: Genbank des Institutes für Pflanzengenetik und Kultur-
pflanzenforschung, Gatersleben, Germany; LAP: Landesanstalt für
Pflanzenbau, Forchheim, Germany; FAL Bundesforschungsanstalt 7 Oxidative stability
für Landwirtschaft, Braunschweig, Germany; FAL (Switzerland):
Eidgenössische Forschungsanstalt für Agrarökologie und Landbau, Due to the fatty acid composition with a high amount of
Zürich, Switzerland; BAZ: Genbank der Bundesanstalt für Züch- polyunsaturated fatty acids, hemp seed oil is very susceptible
tungsforschung an Kulturpflanzen, Braunschweig, Germany; GATE to oxidative deterioration during storage but also during the
“Fleischmann Rudolf ” Landwirtschaftliches Versuchsinstitut, Kom-
polt, Hungary; IBC: Institute of Bast Crops of the Ukrainian Acad-
preparation of food by means of heat. Thus, hemp seed oil is
emy of the Agrarian Sciences, Glukhov, Ukraine; Saatbau Linz, Linz, not suitable for the preparation of food if it is exposed to
Austria; DSV: Deutsche Saatveredelung Lippstadt-Bremen GmbH, higher temperatures over a longer period of time. Virgin hemp
Lippstadt, Germany. seed oil shows a significantly shorter oxidative stability in the
Rancimat test at 120 7C in comparison to virgin oils from serves as a positive proof for a heat treatment. The limit for
rapeseed or olives. While virgin rapeseed oil and olive oil have olive oil given as 0.15 g oligomer triacylglycerols/100 g is not
an oxidative stability of about 4 and 6 h, respectively, virgin suitable for virgin hemp seed oil. As a result of the high con-
hemp seed oil is clearly oxidatively deteriorated after less than tent of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which form polymers
1 h (unpublished data from the authors’ laboratory). during storage more readily than the monounsaturated fatty
It is important that the oil is consumed within a short time acids in olive oil, certain amounts of oligomer triacylglycerols
after opening of the bottle, because oxidative deterioration can be found in virgin hemp seed oil not treated by heat during
proceeds very fast during storage (Fig. 3). Figure 3 reveals, as production. Oligomer triacylglycerols in virgin hemp seed oil
a measure for oxidative deterioration, that the increase of the were found in amounts between 0.02 and 0.21 g/100 g, which
peroxide value depends on the fatty acid composition of the would indicate a heat treatment in the case of olive oil
oil. While rapeseed oil, having a high content of mono- (unpublished data from the authors’ laboratory).
unsaturated oleic acid, shows a moderate increase during Chlorophyll as a photosensitiser even increases the sus-
storage, this increase was more pronounced for sunflower oil ceptibility to oxidation. Therefore, virgin hemp seed oil has to
and even much more for hemp seed oil, the latter consisting of be stored in the dark and provisions have to be taken to protect
up to about 80% of polyunsaturated linoleic and linolenic the oil from light. An insufficient protection of the virgin oil
acids. Due to these oxidatively susceptible fatty acids, the sta- can be detected easily by a change from the green colour of the
bility of hemp seed oil during storage in a bottle is small in oil to yellow. However, in many cases, hemp seed oil is mer-
comparison to the stability of virgin rapeseed or sunflower oil. chandised in clear glass in order to attract the consumer’s
This deterioration becomes already noticeable by a varnish- interest. In many cases, this results in a fast oxidative dete-
like smell, which reminds of linoleum or putty. Virgin hemp rioration of the oil in the bottle, resulting in a rancid aroma.
seed oil stored for more than 2 months in opened bottles
should not be used for human consumption. Especially in the
case of virgin hemp seed oil, it is practical to provide only 8 THC in hemp seed oil
small-sized bottles containing amounts of oil that are more
easily manageable by the consumer. Hemp varieties grown for fibre or seeds and licensed for
In comparison to the oil, the seeds are not susceptible to farming in the European Union (EU) and Canada should
oxidative deterioration during storage, because within the have a THC content of less than 0.2% (measured in the upper
protective seed hull the oil is storable over a long period of third of the plant). In Germany, the Federal Institute for Risk
time. Thus, it is recommended to store the seeds under dry Assessment (BfR) estimated a provisional tolerable THC
and cool conditions and to process only amounts of virgin intake of 1–2 mg/kg/day [30], and from this estimation a pre-
hemp seed oil manageable on the market. cautionary guidance value for THC in hemp seed oil of
Usually, no oligomer triacylglycerols should be detectable 5000 mg/kg was defined in the year 2000 [31].
in virgin oils that were not treated by heat during production. In general, THC, a sticky resin produced primarily in the
For virgin olive oil, the detection of oligomer triacylglycerols flowering tops of female plants with certain psychoactivity,
should be no problem for virgin hemp seed oil, but a market The recommended use of virgin hemp seed oil is in the
survey regarding the quality of hemp seed oils in the USA preparation of cold dishes like salads, because the oil is very
from 1997 revealed THC levels from 11 to 117 mg/g [32]. All susceptible to oxidative deterioration adversely affecting the
samples exceeded the limit defined by the BfR in the year taste and smell of the oil. Even the relatively high amount of
2000. Also other investigations showed that the oil can contain tocopherols, consisting mainly of the antioxidatively active g-
measurable amounts of THC [33, 34]. tocopherol, does not lead to a high storage stability of the oil.
If THC is found in the oil, it results from the external After a short storage time, the oil is no longer suitable for hu-
contact of the seed hulls with cannabinoid-containing resins in man consumption.
bracts and leaves during maturation, harvesting and proces-
sing. Several papers showed that THC is located on the out-
side of the seed hulls [35–37]. Conflict of interest statement
During the refining process, THC is removed from the
oil, but for the producer of virgin hemp seed oil, it is The author have declared no conflict of interest.
highly recommended to carefully control the seed cleaning
in order to securely hold the limit. The use of low-THC
cultivars and thorough seed cleaning are effective in re-
ducing THC levels in the oil. A study on the effectiveness
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