Combined Effect of Protease, Hemicellulase and Pectinase on the Quality of Hemp Seed Oil (Cannabis sativa L.) Obtained by Aqueous Enzymatic Extraction as an Eco-friendly Method.

The objective of this research was to evaluate the efficiency of aqueous enzymatic extraction (AEE) to obtain oil from hemp seeds (Cannabis sativa L.) grown in northern Morocco. Optimisation of AEE extraction parameters, including pH, enzyme concentration (hemicellulase, protease and pectinase), temperature and incubation time, to maximize oil yield was achieved using response surface methodology with a central composite design. For comparison, the solvent extraction (Soxhlet) (SE) method was also used. Optimized hydrolysis conditions involved incubation for 4 hours at 60°C with a pH of 6.5, using a multi-enzyme preparation comprising protease, hemicellulase and pectinase at concentrations of 55, 202.5 and 234 U/mg, respectively. Referring to the conventional Soxhlet extraction (SE), Aqueous Enzymatic Extraction (AEE) achieved a 30.65% oil recovery rate under the optimized parameters mentioned above. The use of enzymes produced an oil that was more stable against oxidation than the solvent-extracted oil, with a peroxide value (PV) of 19.54 and 47.87 meq O 2 /kg, respectively. Furthermore, HPLC-DAD analysis of tocopherol content indicated a higher total tocopherol content (547.2 mg/kg) in Aqueous Enzymatic Extraction (AEE) compared to Soxhlet Extraction (SE) (513.51 mg/kg), with γ-tocopherol being the predominant form. No significant differences in fatty acid composition were observed between the two extraction methods with linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid being the predominant constituents.

A Comparative Analysis of Morphological Characteristics between Endangered Local Prickly Pear and the Newly Introduced Dactylopius opuntiae-Resistant Species in Eastern Morocco.

Prickly pear serves as a significant source of income for farmers worldwide, with production taking place in temperate, subtropical, and cold regions. The objective of the present investigation is to explore the morphological parameters of Opuntia robusta and Opuntia dillenii which are resistant to the white cochineal (Dactylopius opuntiae), as well as the local prickly pear that is currently threatened with extinction. This investigation aims to evaluate the feasibility of replacing the endangered local prickly pear with the recently introduced species O. robusta and O. dillenii. This analysis is based on a comprehensive assessment of 26 qualitative and 25 quantitative traits pertaining to cladodes and fruits. In terms of species differentiation and the selection of discriminative features, this study demonstrates the effectiveness of various statistical methods, as well as the analysis carried out according to the descriptors recommended by the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV). Of the 51 parameters evaluated, 13 qualitative and 23 quantitative characters are significant in differentiating the species under study. This underscores the importance of quantitative traits in distinguishing different prickly pear species. Furthermore, color is identified as a crucial characteristic for discriminating between the studied samples. O. robusta is characterized by its high fruit weight, large size, greater pulp content, and high pulp-to-peel ratio, all of which are desirable traits for fresh consumption. Additionally, O. robusta has the highest number of fully developed seeds, making it an attractive option for use in the cosmetic industry. This characteristic renders the O. robusta a potential substitute for the endangered ecotype . However, O. robusta is distinguished by its short stalk, which poses a challenge for fruit harvesting and leaves it susceptible to physical damage and quality loss. Conversely, O. dillenii displays a low pulp content, which serves as a critical indicator of fruit quality. The only desirable agronomic trait of this species is its elevated seed content, which has the potential for utilization in oil production for the cosmetic industry.

A Comprehensive Exploration of the Fatty Acids Profile, Cholesterol, and Tocopherols Levels in Liver from Laying Hens Fed Diets Containing Nonindustrial Hemp Seed.

This study investigates the impact of dietary nonindustrial Moroccan hemp seed (HS) on the fatty acid profile, cholesterol, and tocopherol levels, in the liver of 120 Lohmann brown laying hens aged 22 weeks during 12 weeks of treatment. The hens are randomly allocated into four treatment groups, each subdivided into six replicates with five birds in each replicate. The dietary treatments consist of 0% HS (control), 10% HS, 20% HS, and 30% HS. Results indicate a substantial increase (p < 0.01) in polyunsaturated fatty acids, including omega 3 (n-3) and omega 6 (n-6) types, with the inclusion of HS in the diet. The n-6/n-3 ratio is significantly reduced (p < 0.01), and there is a significant reduction (p < 0.01) in saturated fatty acids only for the 30% HS treatment, indicating a more favorable fatty acid composition. Cholesterol levels remain largely unaffected by HS inclusion, except for the 10% HS group, which shows a significant decrease (p < 0.05). Moreover, hepatic tocopherol levels are significantly elevated (p < 0.01) in subjects receiving the HS diet, with the 30% HS group exhibiting the highest tocopherol content. In summary, incorporating HS into the diet up to 30% appears to offer promising benefits for hepatic lipid composition, particularly in terms of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, the n-6/n-3 ratio, and tocopherol levels, while having minimal impact on cholesterol levels.

The Effect of Feeding Laying Hens with Nonindustrial Hemp Seed on the Fatty Acid Profile, Cholesterol Level, and Tocopherol Composition of Egg Yolk.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate how cannabis-derived nonindustrial hemp seed (HS) inclusion in laying hen diets, as well as treatment duration, affected the fatty acid (FA) profile, cholesterol level, and tocopherol composition of egg yolks. Ninety-six (n = 96) Lohmann Brown classic laying hens were randomly assigned to one of the four groups: control (standard diet) and HS-containing diets (10% HS, 20% HS, and 30% HS). The study was conducted for a period of 4 months. The findings demonstrated that the FA profile and the tocopherol composition are strongly impacted by the addition of HS to the diet of laying hens (p < 0.05), but the cholesterol content remained unaffected. The increase in the dose of cannabis incorporated into the hen's diet (HS-30% group) led to a significant increase in the amounts of the polyunsaturated fatty acids n-3 and n-6 content of egg yolk. This enrichment was accompanied by a considerable decrease in the n-6/n-3 ratio (p < 0.001) from 8.19 to 4.88, on day 84 of the experiment. The total tocopherol content significantly increased (p < 0.05) from 281.44 (control) to 327.02 µg/g yolk (HS-30%) on day 84. Finally, in the context of warfare, these seeds might be used as a feed additive for laying hens to produce higher nutritive value eggs with affordable prices.

Impact of Cannabis Seed Incorporation in Layer Diet on Productive Performance and Egg Quality Traits.

The production of nonindustrial cannabis is highly developed in the Moroccan Rif region; however, local farmers consider hemp seeds which are rich in omega 3 and tocopherols, only as by-products of cannabis cultivation with low market value. The local ecotype is considered to be a plant with a cannabinoid content of more than 0.4%. So, the objective of this research is to investigate how the incorporation of this local hemp seed affects productive performance and egg quality traits. The experiment is conducted to evaluate the effects of hemp seed (HS) incorporation on hen laying performance and physical egg quality at three levels: 10% (HS-10% group), 20% (HS-20% group), and 30% (HS-30% group). Ninety-six Lohmann Brown classic laying hens were randomly assigned to a control group and three feed treatments. The sampling was taken after the 28-week rearing period (peak egg laying). Throughout the experiment, low-rate HS inclusion (HS-10%) showed no significant differences in egg-laying performance (p > 0.05). However, the high incorporation rates of HS (20% and 30%) negatively affected the egg-laying performance (84-94% and 80-86%, respectively). The albumen quality was also improved by the HS inclusion, where the highest values of the Haugh unit were recorded, ranging between 68.69 and 73.91 for the HS-30% groups. The results also show that HS inclusion and duration influence significantly the yolk color (p < 0.001). The yellow intensity decreases with HS incorporation and aging, from a dark yellow (b ∗ = 38.63 for the control group) to a very pale yellow (b ∗ = 26.29 for HS 30% group). Based on these findings, we can conclude that the incorporation of nonindustrial Moroccan cannabis seeds (ecotype Beldiya) at low rate in the diet of laying hens does not alter the laying performance or the quality of the egg; therefore, they could be used in poultry feeding as an alternative constituent to partially replace high-cost imported ingredients, such as corn and soybeans.

Characterization of Sweet Almond Oil Content of Four European Cultivars (Ferragnes, Ferraduel, Fournat, and Marcona) Recently Introduced in Morocco.

This study concerns the characterization of oil content and quality indices for almond cultivars (Marcona (Mr), Fournat (Fn), Ferragnes (Fg), and Ferraduel (Fd)) recently introduced into marginal agricultural areas in eastern Morocco. These verities are known for their rusticity and late flowering stage. The analyzed almond oils showed low acidity and peroxide values ranging, respectively, from 0.32 to 0.36% and 1.88 to 3.18 meq O2/kg. Fatty acid (FA) profile revealed a predominance of the unsaturated FA represented essentially by the oleic (56.64-64.03%) and linoleic FA (24.57-29.80%). Triacylglycerol (TAG) analysis allowed the determination of eleven species with a remarkable dominance of trioleylglycerol (OOO: 30%) and dioleyllinoleoylglcerol (OOL: 27.25%). Regarding the minor compounds, the results showed that the total phenol content ranges between 85.33 and 141.66 mg/kg. Concerning the tocopherol content, the studied oils showed richness in these secondary metabolites (408.99-491.77 mg/kg) with a dominance of α-tocopherol. In comparison to their homologues in the Mediterranean area, the evaluated almond oils demonstrated a slight superiority in terms of quality, in particular, to those produced in Spain.