Assessment of the Stability and Nutritional Quality of Hemp Oil and Pumpkin Seed Oil Blends

This study characterized the quality of hemp oil (HO) and pumpkin seed oil (PO) and their blends before and after 2 and 4 months of storage at refrigerated and room temperature, without access to light and oxygen. The analyses included determining the acid value, peroxide value, fatty acid (FA) composition, and FA distribution in triacylglycerol (TAG) molecules. Pressure differential scanning calorimetry (PDSC) was used to assess the oxidative stability of oils and their blends. This study also evaluated the nutritional potential of hemp oil and pumpkin seed oil blends, as atherogenicity, thrombogenicity, and health-promoting indices and hypocholesterolaemic/hypercholesterolaemic ratio were calculated. The tested samples differed in properties depending on the storage time and temperature. The optimal choice was a blend of 50% hemp oil (HO) and 50% pumpkin oil (PO). This mixture demonstrated the desired fatty acid composition, satisfactory acid and peroxide values, and a relatively good oxidation induction time during storage. Despite the unfavorable distribution of FAs in TAG molecules, it was characterized by a balanced ratio of n-3 to n-6 acids. It was also concluded that research on HO and PO mixtures should be continued due to the potential synergistic effect of their bioactive substances.