Assessment of nutritional and functional profile of whole, hulled and germinated hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) seeds

Hemp seeds ( Cannabis sativa L.) have received considerable attention due to their nutrient and phytochemical content. However, while the nutritional and functional profile of whole hemp seeds has been adequately described in the literature, these aspects have not been investigated for hulled seeds, especially germinated hemp seeds. Therefore, the aim of this work was to explore the nutritional and functional profile of hulled seeds (DH) and germinated seeds (GH), compared to whole hemp seeds (WH), to elucidate their potential to be considered as viable alternatives for the food industry and animal feed. The proximal composition, concentration of antinutritional compounds, amino acid profile (AA), fatty acid profile (FA), tocopherol and phenolic content, and antioxidant activity were determined. Protein quality was assessed after in vitro digestibility was determined, and lipid quality indices were calculated. Compared to WH, hulled seeds had a higher content of crude protein (33.78% vs. 25.14%), crude fat (48.13% vs. 31.46%) and metabolizable energy (23.43 MJ kg−1 vs. 13.75 MJ kg−1), as well as the best in vitro protein digestibility (86.73% vs. 78.34%), which also ensured the best IVPDCAAS ( in vitro protein digestibility corrected amino acid score) value. Seed germination resulted in a significant increase in protein, fiber and minerals, as well as in the content of antioxidant compounds, responsible for the higher antioxidant activity compared to WH and DH. In conclusion, hulling or germination improves the nutritional and functional profile of hemp seeds, confirming their potential for use in various emerging food matrices or in animal feed.