Characterization of Flax and Hemp Using Spectrometric Methods

Abstract

The comparison of the antioxidant activity of the studied seeds of fiber crop (hemp and flax) emphasized a hierarchy of antioxidant capacity. The purpose of the study was to investigate the antioxidant capacity and nutritional value of flax seeds (Linum usitatissimum L.) and hemp seeds (Cannabis sativa L.) in powder form. In this study, the FT-IR technique was utilized in order to detect molecular components in analyzed samples. Antioxidant capacity was evaluated with photochemical assay as well as humidity, protein, fiber, lipid and carbohydrate content. The FT-IR results reveal the presence of different bio-active compounds in hemp such as flavonoids, tannins, sugars, acids, proanthocyanidins, carotenoids and citric metabolites. The highest antioxidant capacity was observed in flax seeds, 18.32 ± 0.98, in comparison with hemp seeds, 4 ± 0.71 (μg/mg dry weight equivalent ascorbic acid). Regarding nutritional parameters, flax seeds showed the most increased content of protein, displaying average values of 534.08 ± 3.08, as well as 42.20 ± 0.89 of lipids and 27.30 ± 0.89 of fiber (g/100 g/sample). Hemp seeds showed the highest protein content of 33 ± 1.24 (g/100 g/sample).

Keywords

• antioxidants
• flax seed (<i>Linum usitatissimum</i> L.)
• hempseed (<i>Cannabis sativa</i> L.)
• Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy