Composition of cold-pressed hemp seed oils: key elements of quality and authenticity

With the promotion of the agro-industrial chain of Cannabis sativa L., the presence on the market of food products obtained from industrial hemp has become more frequent and relevant. Among these, it is important to mention cold-pressed hemp seed oil, which, in relation to specific sensory quality and nutritional characteristics, is certainly one of the most widespread. In order to guarantee consumers regarding its safety, quality and authenticity, it is essential to know the key compositional parameters, their variability and the analytical methods that can be used to detect them. In this review article, all the evidence from the literature, useful to define a quality regulatory framework for the product category “cold-pressed hemp oil” according to the basic criteria of the Codex Alimentarius and some related considerations such as the seed conservation methods, the fundamental variables of the production process and the safety of the edible oil obtained, this last in relation to the legal limit (7.5 mg/kg), expressed as the sum of Δ9 – tetrahydrocannabinol (acid plus neutral form), are discussed. Nowadays, apart this last legal obligation, there is no specific and harmonized EU legislation to define the quality and authenticity of cold-pressed hemp seed oil. In order to help achieve this objective, this review presents a discussion of the data from the literature and provides interpretative elements. The path and information described herein were keys in drafting the commercial standard entitled “Cold-pressed hemp oil obtained from Cannabis sativa L. seeds - Characteristics and methods of analysis” UNI-11876:2022.