Hemp seeds as the basis for plant milk production: advantages and challenges

Abstract

The consumption of plant-based milk alternatives has become a well-established global trend, due to the growing popularity of vegetarianism, lactose intolerance among some consumers, increasingly stringent environmental requirements for food production, ethical standards and economic factors. The most popular types of plant-based milk produced worldwide are soybean, almond, coconut and oat milk. In recent years, industrial hemp seeds have begun to be used for this purpose, given their unique nutritional profile and potential health benefits for the human body. The aim of this study was to conduct a literature review on the chemical composition of industrial hemp seeds as a raw material for producing plant-based milk alternatives and determine the advantages and challenges associated with their production. It has been established that hemp seeds have a unique composition and contain 25–35% oil, 20–30% carbohydrates, 20–25% protein, 10–15% insoluble fiber, vitamins and minerals such as potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, sulfur, iron and zinc. Among the presented vegetable oils, up to 85% consist of the polyunsaturated fatty acids – linoleic (ω-6) and α-linolenic (ω-3) in a ratio ideal for the human body. The proteins presented are hypoallergenic, free of lactose and gluten and have high biological value, as they contain all essential amino acids. In other words, industrial hemp seeds are one of the most promising bases for producing plant-based milk alternatives, especially considering the ethical, environmental and economic factors associated with the production of traditional dairy products. It was found that despite all these advantages, the production of this product is limited by the instability of the beverage’s colloidal system, the need to regulate its nutritional value and the unacceptability of its nutritional profile by some consumers. This review analyzes the work of researchers who have contributed to solving these technological problems and proposes ways to fix them. It was concluded that further research should focus on optimizing the processing parameters for hemp seeds in the production of plant-based milk, creating a beverage with stability comparable to that of animal-based alternatives with acceptable nutritional profile for consumers and promoting this product in the market.