THIS PROPOSAL ADDRESSES THE 2020 EDUCATIONAL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT- POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS GRANT (PROGRAM CODE A7201). THE MAJOR ACADEMIC PROGRAM BEING ADDRESSED IS FOOD SAFETY, NUTRITION, AND HEALTH. HEMP (CANNABIS SATIVAL.) IS AN ANCIENT ASIAN CROP THAT HAS BEEN GROWN AND CULTIVATED FOR A LONG TIME. THE HEMP SEED CONTAINS A MYRIAD OF ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS AND BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS. HOWEVER, THE PRESENCE OF ANTINUTRIENTS IN HEMP PREVENTS THEIR BIOAVAILABILITY. THIS RESEARCH SEEKS TO STUDY THE UTILIZATION OF NON-THERMAL PROCESSING METHODS IN REDUCING THE ANTINUTRIENTS AND THE EFFECT ON ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS AND POLYPHENOL CONTENT IN INDUSTRIAL HEMP SEEDS. THIS RESEARCH WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED UNDER FOUR OBJECTIVES: (I) TO OPTIMIZE THE MOST EFFECTIVE PROCESSING METHOD (HPP, ULTRASONICATION, ENZYME HYDROLYSIS) FOR REDUCING ANTINUTRIENTS IN HEMP SEEDS; (II) TO DETERMINE THE IMPACT OF NON-THERMAL PROCESSING METHODS ON THE NUTRITION PROFILE AND BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS OF HEMP SEEDS; (III) TO DETERMINE THE FUNCTIONALITY AND BIOACTIVITY OF THE HEMP SEED FLOUR POST-PROCESSING,AND (IV) TO PROVIDE POSTDOCTORAL SUPPORT THAT WILL FURTHER THE PD'S TRAINING IN FAHNS TO BECOME AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATOR.THIS RESEARCH IS RELEVANT TO THE GOALS OF AFRI AND EDUCATION WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BY SOLVING KEY PROBLEMS AFFECTING LOCAL, NATIONAL, AND GLOBAL IMPORTANCE. FURTHERMORE, THIS RESEARCH WILL BENEFIT GROWERS OF INDUSTRIAL HEMP, AN UNDERUTILIZED ESSENTIAL CROP, ALSO WILL PROVIDE THE ESSENTIAL INFORMATION TO IMPROVE OVERALL HEALTH.