engleski

Awareness among Croatian university students about the use, nutritional potential and risks associated with the consumption of hempseed oil

Approved strains of industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L. subsp. sativa) for cultivation are on the variety list of the European Union and are characterised by a Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol content of less than 0.2% in the dry matter of the plant [1]. Industrial hemp seeds contain 25 – 35% of oil, which is the most important product of their processing [2]. The mass fraction of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the oil reaches up to 80%. Numerous positive health effects are achieved by the consumption of hempseed oil, mainly due to the favourable ratio of ω-6 and ω-3 fatty acids [3]. The aim of this study was to examine awareness among students of Croatian universities about the use and nutritional and bioactive properties of hempseed oil through an online questionnaire. The study involved 100 students of both sexes aged 19 – 33 years. As many as 84% of respondents did not consume hempseed oil. Oil consumers mostly inquired about its benefits from friends or acquaintances and preferred to purchase domestic oils. There was a small proportion (6.3%) of those who did not pay attention to the manufacturer and thought that reading the declaration was not important. Almost 70% of respondents considered the price of hempseed oil acceptable. More than half of the respondents consumed oil less than once a month in small doses, most often as part of raw meals. The majority of respondents who were familiar with the fact that hempseed oil is not consumed because of its psychoactive, but because of its antioxidant effect, were students of biotechnical, biomedical and health studies and natural sciences. Half of the respondents did not know that hempseed oil is obtained from industrial hemp seeds, but 78% of students were informed that the use of this oil is legal. Only 13% of respondents were aware of the fact that consumption of hempseed oil can in exceptional cases result in a positive drug test due to the presence of THC. Better legislation is needed for such products on the market to reduce these risks. Acknowledgments: This study was supported by the programme of cooperation between the Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health (Zagreb, Croatia) and the University North (Varaždin, Croatia). References: [1] M. Petrović, M. Katalenić, M. Medić Šarić, Z. Kalođera, I. Žuntar, M. Pospišil, I. Brčić Karačonji, Scientific opinion on the impact on health of different types of seeds and food that contains the seeds of industrial hemp, Zagreb, Croatian Food Agency, 2015. [2] B. Farinon, R. Molinari, L. Costantini, N. Merendino, Nutrients, 12 (2020) 1935. [3] M. Petrović, Ž. Debeljak, N. Kezić, P. Džidara, Food Chemistry, 170 (2015) 218.

hempseed oil ; questionnaire ; THC ; Croatian students

nije evidentirano