Development of functional hemp seed milk enriched with encapsulated probiotics

Hemp seed milk has recently gained significant attention due to its high protein content and low allergenicity. Proximate analysis of hemp seed milk revealed a composition of 91.51% moisture, 3.33% protein, 0.57% fat, 0.78% ash, and 4.84% carbohydrate, derived from dehulled hemp seeds. The physicochemical properties of the hemp seed milk included a pH of 5.9, total soluble solids of 3°Brix, and a viscosity of 0.047 Pa.s, with no detectable levels of cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Under in vitro simulated gastrointestinal conditions, a combination of alginate and chitosan effectively protected Lactobacillus rhamnosus TISTR 372 from simulated gastric juice, and enhanced its release in simulated intestinal conditions. After 120 minutes of exposure, the alginate-chitosan encapsulated probiotics-maintained viability at 10.21 log CFU/g in simulated gastric juice and 6.59 log CFU/g in simulated intestinal juice, whereas encapsulation with alginate alone resulted in complete loss of viability. When encapsulated probiotics were incorporated into hemp seed milk, L. rhamnosus TISTR 372 could survive in hemp seed milk for 16 days during refrigerated storage. These findings suggest that the functional hemp milk developed in this study delivers an adequate number of probiotics capable of exerting beneficial effects on gut health.