“Canapisti”, a Sant’Anna School spinoff company, announced research on microgreens and commercial production of hemp plant. “Cannabis does not necessarily equate with drug addiction”
Industrial hemp production has changed recently. European farmers grow industrial hemp for oil, fiber, food, paper and textiles. Between 1993 and 1996, the cultivation of industrial hemp was legalized in most EU member states. In 2011, the cultivation area decreased to its lowest value since 1994 (ca. 8,000 ha), but increased continuously in the years 2012 to 2016, to finally reach more than 33,000 ha in 2016.
The Sant’Anna School spinoff Canapisti's primary goal is to explore how legally grown varieties of hemp plant (Cannabis sativa) can be used for food, feed, and medicinal products. The research developed by the Canapisti team members will test industrial hemp for grain and fiber production (under the EU Novel Food Regulation). The Canapisti spinoff company founded by Marco Martinelli, former student and now researcher at the Sant'Anna School PlantLab, with the support of L’Ortofruttifero - San Giuliano Terme (Pisa), will ensure products safety: “Cannabis does not necessarily equate with recreational drugs and drug addiction”, said Martinelli. Canapisti will grow hemp microgreens, tiny plants containing higher vitamin, nutrient and antioxidant levels than their mature counterparts do. Research shows that hemp sprouts consumption (20 g of daily fresh hemp sprouts) offers potential health benefits as they contain a wider variety of flavonoids, the prenylated flavonoids. As a novel type of nutraceuticals, these anti-inflammatory molecules named cannflavins are expected to enhance some bioactivities of flavonoids, such as antifungal activity and anticancer activity.
In addition to hemp microgreens, Canapisti will grow Cannabis sativa selected Carmagnola 0.2% THC, 8% CBD extract in hemp oil, flowers and 10-14 cm seedlings that ensure high values of essential fatty acids such as Omega 3 and Omega 6.
Experts working at the Canapisti include Matilde Finocchi, as the person responsible for quality assurance, horticulturist Marco Pacini as the production manager, Luca Pacini, sales and marketing manager, as the CEO of Hi-Turf solutions, Marco Martinelli, PhD candidate at Sant’Anna School, with a focus on Cannabis sativa L. properties and characteristics.
Founders who have started the company delivered their comments: “Our Company “Canapisti” can grow and improve this powerful medicinal plant, although it is mainly perceived as a narcotic. Our goal is to examine the scientific data about the properties of the cannabis extracts for the treatment of diseases but also as an important source of food and proteins”.
For additional information available on the web, please see Canapisti; FB and Instagram @Canapisti.
