2025 STUDY RESULTS
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Food First Initiative 

2025 Hemp Basic Nutritional Study

Preliminary Nutritional Characterization of Organic Whole Hemp Biomass (Cannabis sativa L.)

Abstract

The Food First Initiative (FFI) a 501c3 not for profit organization, EIN 99-1692998, coordinated and conducted a preliminary nutritional analysis of federally compliant organic hemp biomass consisting of flowers, leaves, and seeds from a grain-type Cannabis sativa L. cultivar. 

The objective was to establish baseline compositional data for whole hemp biomass in minimally processed fresh and dried forms.

Four biomass conditions were evaluated:

1. Fresh biomass with seeds

2. Fresh biomass without seeds

3. Dried biomass with seeds

4. Dried biomass without seeds

Samples were analyzed for proximate nutrition, minerals, sugars, fatty acids, and amino acids using standardized laboratory methodologies. Analyses were conducted by AGQ Labs and Eurofins Scientific.

Results demonstrated that organic hemp biomass contained measurable amounts of protein, dietary fiber, amino acids, minerals, and fatty acids across all sample groups. Dried biomass exhibited substantially higher nutrient concentrations compared to fresh biomass due to moisture reduction. Seed-containing biomass demonstrated increased lipid and caloric density relative to seedless biomass.

Among amino acids detected, seven essential amino acids were quantified. Palmitic acid was the most consistently detected fatty acid across all biomass groups. Calcium, potassium, and iron concentrations were elevated relative to many conventional leafy vegetables.

These findings provide preliminary baseline data supporting future investigation of whole hemp biomass as a potential nutritional, agricultural, and functional food resource.

1. Introduction

1.1 Background

Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) has historically been cultivated for fiber, seed oil, and industrial applications. Following passage of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, federally compliant hemp cultivation expanded within the United States. The FFI approached the proper federal and state regulatory agencies and proposed this study be conducted or overseen by those agencies. 

The USDA Agricultural Research Services and professionals at FoodData Central told FFI they could not directly support, oversee, or conduct this type of research for various reasons. This was despite federal legality, allowances, and laboratory space for these specific raw nutritional studies to take place. (See FOIA Response Below) 

Despite increasing commercial cultivation, limited publicly available nutritional data exists regarding whole hemp biomass composed of flowers, leaves, and seeds in minimally processed forms. Most prior nutritional research has focused on:

- Hulled hemp seeds

-   Hemp seed oil and cake

-   Spent hemp biomass in livestock

-   Fiber applications

-   Cannabinoid extraction systems

Comprehensive nutrient characterization of whole hemp biomass remains extremely limited.

1.2  Study Purpose

The purpose of this study was to establish preliminary nutritional baseline data for organic whole hemp biomass under four processing conditions:

-   Fresh with seeds

-   Fresh without seeds

-   Dried with seeds

-   Dried without seeds

Specific objectives included:

-   Quantification of macronutrients

-   Measurement of mineral composition

-   Characterization of amino acid profiles

-   Characterization of fatty acid profiles

-   Comparison of seeded versus seedless biomass

-   Comparison of fresh versus dried biomass

2. Materials and Methods

2.1 Biomass Source

Biomass originated from the “Amaze Auto” grain-type hemp cultivar developed by Andy Simons of Full Spectrum Seeds grown in Flint, Michigan.

Cultivation characteristics included:

-   Organic soil cultivation

-   Open-air field production

-   Federally compliant hemp production

-   Michigan state hemp program oversight

Plant material consisted of:

-   Flowers

-   Leaves

-   Seeds

2.2 Experimental Design

Four biomass conditions were analyzed:

Condition State & Seed Presence

A. Fresh With seeds

B. Fresh Without seeds

C. Dried With seeds

D. Dried Without seeds

Samples were hand-selected, vacuum sealed, flash frozen, and transported under temperature-controlled conditions.

2.3 Laboratory Analysis

General Nutritional Analysis

Conducted by AGQ Labs.

Analyses included:

-   Protein

-   Total fat

-   Saturated fat

-   Carbohydrates

-   Dietary fiber

-   Moisture

-   Ash

-   Minerals

-   Sugars

-   Vitamin D

-   Fatty acids

Amino Acid Analysis

Conducted by Eurofins Scientific.

2.4 Analytical Methods

Standardized laboratory methods included:

Measurement Method

Protein Elemental analysis

Fatty acids GC-FID

Minerals ICP-OES

Sugars HPLC/ESD

Vitamin D LC-MS/MS

Moisture and ash Gravimetric analysis

3. Results

3.1 General Nutritional Composition
Key values per 100 g:

Fresh Biomass With Seeds

-   Calories: 131 kcal

-   Protein: 5.12 g

-   Dietary fiber: 14.8 g

-   Total fat: 3.8%

-   Potassium: 908.5 mg

-   Calcium: 1,869 mg

Fresh Biomass Without Seeds

-   Calories: 98.8 kcal

-   Protein: 3.73 g

-   Dietary fiber: 11.7 g

-   Total fat: 1.98%

-   Potassium: 992.3 mg

-   Calcium: 2,009 mg

Dried Biomass With Seeds

-   Calories: 321 kcal

-   Protein: 12.1 g

-   Dietary fiber: 35.6 g

-   Total fat: 9.71%

-   Potassium: 2,054 mg

-   Calcium: 3,741 mg

Dried Biomass Without Seeds

-   Calories: 277 kcal

-   Protein: 8.67 g

-   Dietary fiber: 34.6 g

-   Total fat: 5.01%

-   Potassium: 2,336 mg

-   Calcium: 5,990 mg

3.2 Amino Acid Profile

Fifteen amino acids were detected across sample groups, including seven essential amino acids.

Major amino acids detected included:

-   Glutamic acid

-   Aspartic acid

-   Leucine

-   Valine

-   Phenylalanine

-   Arginine

Highest Amino Acid Concentrations

The dried biomass with seeds condition demonstrated the highest overall amino acid concentrations. However, the leafy green material alone contained the same compounds.

Examples included:

Amino Acid Concentration

Glutamic acid 1.46%

Aspartic acid     1.17%

Arginine 0.84%

Leucine 0.69%

Valine 0.55%

3.3 Fatty Acid Profile

The fatty acid panel primarily quantified saturated and minor fatty acids.

Palmitic acid was consistently detected across all biomass groups:

Condition

Palmitic Acid

Fresh with seeds 0.23%

Fresh without seeds 0.12%

Dried with seeds 0.61%

Dried without seeds 0.27%

Capric acid was elevated in dried seedless biomass (0.415%).

The data suggest that additional uncharacterized polyunsaturated fatty acids are present in seedless material and require expanded lipid analysis in future studies.

4. Discussion

4.1  Nutritional Density

Whole hemp biomass demonstrated measurable levels of:

-   Protein

-   Dietary fiber

-   Essential amino acids

-   Minerals

-   Fatty acids

Dried biomass showed expected nutrient concentration effects due to reduced moisture content.

Seed-containing biomass generally demonstrated:

-   Higher lipid concentration

-   Increased caloric density

-   Increased protein levels

4.2 Mineral Composition

Calcium and potassium concentrations were substantial across all sample groups, particularly in dried biomass.

The highest calcium concentration was observed in dried seedless biomass:

-   5,990 mg/100 g

Iron concentrations also increased following drying.

4.3 Functional Food Potential

The compositional profile observed in this study suggests potential future applications for hemp biomass in:

-   Functional human foods

-   Protein ingredients

-   Dietary fiber enrichment

-   Livestock nutrition

-   Supplemental dietary applications

-   Nutritional powders

-   Food fortification systems

-   Hydration studies

Further studies are required to evaluate:

-   Digestibility

-   Bioavailability

-   Clinical nutritional outcomes

-   Long-term storage stability

5. Limitations

Several limitations should be considered:

-   No geographic replication

-   No laboratory duplication

-   Limited fatty acid and amino acid panels

-   No vitamin breadth analysis beyond Vitamin D

-   No digestibility or bioavailability testing

Additionally, laboratory transfer delays and chain-of-custody complications affected overall study timelines.

6. Conclusions

This preliminary study established revolutionary baseline nutritional data for minimally processed organic whole hemp biomass.

Key findings included:

-   Presence of proteins, dietary fiber, amino acids, minerals, and fatty acids in all samples

-   Increased nutrient density in dried biomass

-   Higher lipid and protein concentrations in seeded biomass

-   Detection of multiple essential amino acids

-   Elevated calcium and potassium concentrations

-   Seedless material contains nutritional compounds

These findings support further investigation into whole hemp biomass as a potential multifunctional agricultural and nutritional resource.

Future research should include:

-   Expanded fatty acid and amino acid characterization

-   Clinical nutrition studies

-   Multi-location cultivation trials

-   Comparative analyses

-   Bioavailability assessment

-   Processing and formulation studies

-   Flavonoid and other antioxidant studies

7. References

1. AGQ Labs Reports – See Below

2. EuroFins Scientific Labs Reports – See Below

3. Amaze Auto - 2025 Hemp Certificate of Analysis - See Below

4. FFI FOIA Request

5. USDA FoodData Central website: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/

AGQ Labs

Basic Nutritional Results and Fatty Acids analysis

EuroFins Scientific Labs

Basic Amino Acid analysis

HELP US WITH PHASE 2! 

PHASE 1 Total lab costs: $9,379.20

Does Not Include In-Kind Donations

       2025 STUDY
      CONTRIBUTORS:

Care Waialua Farms

Liberty Offense

Wyatt Purp

Deschedule.Earth

Indiana NORML

SHMOOPY

ARCH Ventures
- Will Rogers Jr.

Ronald Borcherdt 

Full Spectrum Seeds
- Andy Simons

Deep Run Hemp

Matthew Bredeson 

Hippie Rick

Jason Straw

Test 1 Genetics: 

Full Spectrum Seeds: Amaze Auto 

Farmer and Genetics: Andy Simons

   - This is a grain variety of hemp genetics

Genetics and biomass samples were provided and hand-selected by Andy Simons of Full Spectrum Seeds.

Andy hand-selected fresh and dried samples with and without seeds himself from this variety of genetics he has developed at his farm location in Flint, Michigan. 

Simons used personal choice-selects of edible biomass material, which was meticulously separated and vacuum sealed, and sent in temperature controlled containers. 

One pound of each of the four areas of testing material was provided to the food laboratory. Alongside those four one-pound quadrants were four 300g containers of the same material for the amino acid and fatty acid profile testing. 

The fresh samples were confirmed to have arrived frozen and been stored at the lab safely by the staff Sept. 29, 2025. 

The lab began the studies immediately following receipt of samples and said we should have most answers in about 45 days. 

Testing the seed and plant material separate for nutritional content is important to establish how much nutrition and fats are in the plant material. Something that has never been done before in raw form. 

This initial test will give the first-ever scientific data regarding the raw nutrition of hemp biomass, flowers, leaves, and seeds.