Molecular investigations on hemp seeds, a source of nutrients and bioactive compounds

Industrial hemp, which contains less than 1 percent of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), is a versatile crop that can be processed into different products with multiple uses. Hemp seeds are the most crucial part of the plant for food applications due to the abundance of proteins, polysaccharides, oils, cannabinoids, and other micro-nutrients. More specifically, they contain a great amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as linoleic and α-linolenic acids, equivalent to ~50% and ~20% of total fatty acids, respectively. The various nutrients and bioactive compounds from hemp seeds allow to enrich ordinary food products obtaining functional foods, providing beneficial effects for human health. Nevertheless, the poor research on their biosynthesis and gene regulation has limited the use of molecular breeding to enhance hemp’s properties. Here, we provide an overview of omics studies about the metabolomics and proteomics profile of hemp seeds, focusing on nutrients, such as proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, mineral and vitamins nutrients, and bioactive compounds, including terpenes, polyphenolics and phytosterols. Omics studies about the bio-products obtained from processing hemp seeds, such as oil, dehulled seeds, hulls, flour, cakes, other meals and proteins concentrates/isolates are also discussed. The pros of using proteomics and metabolomics approaches, highlighting the high nutritional values of the bio-products, are finally underlined. This work, in our opinion, represents a great starting point for researchers interested in studying hemp seeds as source of nutrients and bioactive compounds, aimed to improve their knowledge from a molecular point of view.