Design of a Nutraceutical Gummy Candy Incorporating Hydrolysed Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) as an Antioxidant and Antihypertensive Ingredient

This study aimed to develop a nutraceutical gummy candy enriched with hydrolysed hemp (<i>Cannabis sativa</i> L.) as a natural antioxidant and antihypertensive ingredient. Three European cultivars-Futura 75, Henola, and KC Zuzana-were cultivated under rainfed (RF) and irrigated (RFCI) conditions and assessed for nutritional composition and bioactivity. Henola variety showed the most favourable profile, showing the highest protein content under RFCI (29.4 g 100 g^-1 d.m.) and the greatest phenolic concentration under RF (15.8 µmol GAE g^-1 d.m.), with 35-40% higher antioxidant capacity than the other cultivars. Henola (RF) was selected for enzymatic hydrolysis with Ultraflo^® XL, which enhanced total phenolics and antioxidant capacity by 65% and 58%, respectively, stabilizing after 18 h. Incorporation of the hydrolysate (0.66%) into a pectin-based gummy significantly (<i>p</i> < 0.05) increased total phenolic content by 52% and antioxidant capacity by up to 60% compared with controls. After simulated digestion, bioactivity decreased by 30-45% but remained higher than controls. The incorporation of 0. 66 g of hydrolysed ingredient in 100 g of gummy increased ACE inhibition by 10% after digestion, probably associated with the peptides released during the digestion, confirming hydrolysed hemp as a stable multifunctional ingredient for plant-based nutraceutical formulations targeting oxidative stress and hypertension.