Introduction
Many studies of the nutritional properties and a few studies oxidation
of cold-pressed hemp seed oil (CPHSO) have been previously conducted .
More recently, researches have started to investigate the cannabinoid
content and decarboxylation properties of cannabinoids in CPHSO, but
much of the research has been conducted outside North America .
This study is the first known investigation of CPHSO manufactured
explicitly in North America. Production of CPHSO began in Canada many
years before it was allowed in the United States, so American
manufacturers generally have less experience than Canadian producers .
Nevertheless, this researcher is not aware of any published data
indicating significant differences in American vs. Canadian CPHSO.
The data and findings from this study apply to multiple areas of
industry and future investigations, and the analysis provides insights
and informs other researchers and the scientific community at large.
Also, regulators interested in cannabinoid safety and toxicity require
bonafide sources of credible information to make informed decisions.
Finally, animal feed and human food formulators can consider these
findings as they incorporate hempseed oils into their products.
One study suggests cannabinoids are present in the nut when tested after
dissection. More recent studies suggest cannabinoids are not produced in
the seeds of the plant, but small quantities are transmitted to the seed
and oil by contact with other plant surfaces . Also, some researchers
have postulated that seed cleaning methods and procedures may account
for significant variances in cannabinoid content found in CPHSO, but
there are conflicting opinions on this subject, and other studies
primarily attribute differences to cultivar .
Current data suggests that the cannabis plant contains over one hundred
(100) identifiable cannabinoids, but standardized tests and reference
materials are lacking for most . While complete elimination of
cannabinoids in CPHSO is unlikely, proper processing and seed cleaning
steps will minimize them . Current research suggests that cannabinoids
in cold-pressed hemp seed oil (CPHSO) be treated as naturally-occurring
contaminants, much like those found in many other food products, since
they are not germane to any nutritional value.
This study quantifies the cannabinoid content of commercially available
CPHSO manufactured in North America (Canada and the United States). In
addition, the investigator evaluates the observed variances in
cannabinoid content to determine if such variances correlate to
cultivars, suppliers, or both. The term supplier is analogous to the
CPHSO manufacturer in this study.
Observational and statistical analysis was performed in two phases. In
the first phase, statistical analysis was conducted without removing
outliers. The second phase re-analyzed the data with outliers removed.
Outliers for phase 2 are defined as those measurements more than the
95% confidence interval upper limit calculated in the phase 1 data set.
This paper provides an analysis of the findings and sets forth the
conclusions drawn from the findings.