Hempseeds as sustainable plant-based source of bioactive peptides with biofunctional properties

Abstract

The contribution of oxidative stress and inflammation to various diseases coupled with the many side-effects of pharmaceuticals has underscored the need for strategies that integrate multimodal approaches involving interventions that naturally balance redox homeostasis and lower chronic inflammation. This includes bioactive agents such as plant-derived bioactive peptides (BAPs) that provide physiological benefits beyond their nutritional value. BAPs are short functional amino acid (AA) sequences, typically 2–20 residues, released from proteins during food processing or GI digestion, and may act as natural antioxidants and signaling modulators. Although widely evaluated in traditional plant protein sources, BAPs are increasingly studied in non-conventional sources such as hempseed ( Cannabis sativa L.), a sustainable oilseed rich in nutrients and whose major storage proteins include edestin and the water-soluble albumin fraction. This review summarizes how hempseed composition and processing influence protein accessibility, AA profile, peptide release, post-digestion bioactivity, and bioavailability, providing insights into the development of hempseed-derived peptides as sustainable bioactive ingredients, supporting their further development in functional foods and nutraceutical products targeting oxidative stress and inflammation.