Nutrition and health functionality of hemp products in wheat cereal products – butter cut-out biscuits and leavened pastry

Abstract

Abstract Native to China, hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is an annual herb whose anatomical parts are widely used by for technical, food, and medical purposes. Hemp is traditionally considered a controversial crop due to its cannabinoid content. For industrial and food usage, however, the content of psychoactive tetrahydroxycannabinol (known as THC) is limited by EU Regulation (0.2%). In some countries, including the Czech Republic, the supportive and therapeutic effect of THC has led to the legalization of controlled cultivation (Elkoplast Slušovice, hemp with 6–19% THC) and the use of hemp on prescription. Due to the high content of proteins, fats, and fibre in hemp seeds, they are suitable for increasing the nutritional value of food. For cereal products, it is recommended to use wholemeal or defatted flour in dosages limited by the sensory quality of the final products, e.g., up to 10% for pastry. The use of the leaf and flower part in powdered form is acceptable in the amount of 4% max. Within the laboratory production of hemp-enriched cut-out biscuits and bread buns of standard consumer quality, the expected rise in the content of protein and dietary fibre was confirmed.