4. Conclusions
This study confirms that ripening stage affects the quality of hempseed oil extracted from Cannabis sativa L.; oil content was constant during the maturity and moisture content decreased constantly; essential fatty acids (LA and ALA) increased with ripening while tocopherols decreased. Sterols showed a different trend in the two varieties considered, in Futura 75 the total concentration increased and inCarmagnola decreased. Knowledge of the influence of ripening stage on hempseed oil quality has important consequences for industrial output, as harvest could be programmed when oil, tocopherols and sterols are most abundant. Futura 75 seemed to have a higher concentration of oil, sterols and LA/ALA ratio; while Carmagnolaa higher concentration of tocopherols and PUFA/SFA ratio. The comparison between the two varieties and the results obtained are very important for hemp seeds producers since they can choose the best variety to plant from a production and quality point of view
AKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors are grateful to Dr. Itzhak Moreno and the company “Az. Agraria Trionfi Honorati Giuseppe e Giovanna & C.” for the seeds samples used in this study.
This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors