Industrial hemp as a food
This fact sheet is now out of date. Please refer to Standard 1.4.4 of the Food Standards Code for more up todate information
What are hemp, Cannabis and marijuana?
Hemp or industrial hemp is a Cannabis plant species (Cannabis sativa). Historically, hemp has been used quite extensively over the centuries as a source of fibre and oil.Cannabis extracts have also been used in medicine for a variety of ailments, including use as an analgesic in Britain in the nineteenth century. The Mexican term 'marijuana' is frequently used in referring to Cannabis leaves. Industrial hemp is currently being grown to a limited extent in Australia in order to examine its potential as a source of fibre for textile production.
What gives marijuana its hallucinogenic properties?
Cannabis sativais a source of the pharmacologically active substance,delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol or THC. Hemp or industrial hemp is a low THC variety, containing less than 0.35% THC. The Cannabis varieties that are used as a source of THC typically contain 3-15% THC. THC is produced in specialised glands found on the leaf surface. At relatively high dose levels, THC has an acute dose-related effect on mood, perception and psychomotor coordination. It may also impair short-term memory and slow learning.
Are there any health concerns associated with THC?
While there are a variety of effects associated with the use of high dose levels of THC, both short- and long-term, these effects cannot be seen after exposure to the very low levels found in hemp-based foods.
In controlled studies, THC has been shown to have effects on the central nervous system such sedative effects, attenuation of pain and muscle relaxation; effects on the cardiovascular system such as increased heart rate and lowering of blood pressure; eye effects such as reddened conjunctivae; respiratory effects such as bronco dilation; and gastrointestinal effects such as reduced bowel movements. After long-term exposure, there are reported effects on the hormonal system, on the immune system and possible effects on foetal development.
How can hemp be used as a food?
The foods currently being marketed internationally with low THC hempseed and hempseed oil include health bars, salad oils, non-soy tofu, non-dairy cheeses, non-dairy milks, additives to breads, biscuits and cakes, butter pastes, as well as whole seed, raw or roasted.
Hempseeds are an excellent source of unsaturated fatty acids and an additional source of essential fatty acids.
Are there health benefits from using hemp as a food?
Hempseeds are rich in the essential fatty acids, omega-3 and omega-6, which are required for vital functions within the body, including the immune response, lipid hydrolysis, blood clotting, vascular dilation and cardiac function. These and other polyunsaturated fatty acids also play a vital role in the maintenance of cell membrane structure.
Are hemp-based foods hallucinogenic?
No. The part of the hemp plant that is used for food is the seeds. The seeds themselves contain no THC but they are wrapped in specialised leaves called the calyx that do produce THC and can cause a very low level of THC presence in the outside of the seed coat. While removal of the leaf matter can reduce THC presence, low levels persist in commercial hempseed oil preparations. The amount of THC in industrial hemp is already very low (0.35%) by comparison to levels in Cannabis used to source THC (3-15%).
Why is industrial hemp called a novel food?
Hemp is considered a novel food in Australia and New Zealand because it is a non-traditional food for which there is insufficient knowledge in the broad community to ensure safe use. As such, it is required to be assessed under the recently established standard for novel foods: Standard 1.5.1. This Standard applies to all new foods in Australia and New Zealand regardless of their use in other countries.
The purpose of the Standard is to ensure that non-traditional foods that have features or characteristics that raise safety concerns will undergo a risk-based safety assessment before they are offered for retail or direct consumption in Australia or New Zealand.
Has ANZFA checked the safety of industrial hemp as a food?
The safety of industrial hemp as a food has been examined thoroughly by ANZFA. The only component of this food that has the potential to cause adverse health effects is THC. ANZFA has prepared a comprehensive toxicological report on THC and established a safe level of intake based on the most sensitive effect, namely, small changes in skills performance in a study in adolescents. The safe level of intake also includes a 10-fold safety factor to take into account individual variation.
On the basis of this analysis, maximum limits of THC have been proposed in hempseed and hempseed oil, such that even a high consumer of hemp-based foods cannot exceed the safe level of intake of THC.
Have food products from industrial hemp been approved for sale in Australia and New Zealand?
No. The application to approve the use of hemp-based foods is at the second stage in the approval process, namely, public consultation following completion of a draft risk assessment report by ANZFA. Following the 6-week consultation phase, the public comments will be addressed and, if necessary, the risk assessment report will be modified before being considered again by the ANZFA Board, and ultimately by the State, Territory and New Zealand Health Ministers for approval.
If they are approved, will hemp food products require special labelling?
Food ingredients must be declared in the statement of ingredients by the common name of the ingredient or a name that describes the true nature of the ingredient. If hemp is considered to be a characterising ingredient in the food, then the percentage of hemp in the food would also need to be declared.
It is also proposed that foods containing hemp must not be represented in a form that expressly or by implication suggests that the food has any properties associated with illicit drugs.
Are hemp-based products used in food elsewhere in the world?
Foods containing hemp and products derived from hemp are widely available in other countries in Europe and in the USA. In all cases, these products contain very low levels of THC.
For further information
The Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code containing Standard 1.5.1 can be accessed on the ANZFA website www.foodstandards.gov.au
| ANZFA Australia PO Box 7186 Canberra BC ACT 2610 Australia Ph: 61 2 6271 2222 Fax: 61 2 6271 2278 Email: info@foodstandards.gov.au | ANZFA New Zealand PO Box 10559 The Terrace Wellington 6036 New Zealand Ph: 64 4 473 9942 Fax: 64 4 473 9855 Email: nz.reception@foodstandards.gov.au |