## 3 Results and Discussion
### Characteristics of the Fermented Hemp Seed Products
brevis_ resulted in cellulase activity, while it was not observed in the unfermented hemp seed medium or after fermentation with _L. acidophilus_. The highest amylase, phytase, and protease activities were found after fermentation with _L. brevis_. Similarly, [PERSON] et al. [32] found amylase and phytase activities in _L. plantarum_ and _L. fermentatum_ strains isolated from fermented pear-millet slurries. Phytase-producing LAB strains are especially preferred to produce wheat bread as well cereal and legume goods because of their ability to increase the nutritional quality by liberating inorganic phosphate and minerals [33; 34]. Grains and seeds contain many minerals useful for human health--P, Mg, Fe, Cu, and Zn--but a large part of them are bound in complexes with phytic acid (phytates), which reduces the bioavailability of minerals. Phytase breaks down phytates, thereby increasing mineral absorption, and microorganisms such as yeast and LAB have been found to produce this enzyme [35]. During protein hydrolysis, microbial proteases lead to the formation of smaller peptides and subsequent degradation that releases free amino acids [36] and the formation of intermediates during the creation of aromatic products [37]. LAB are characterised by a complex proteolytic system, which mainly consists of cell wall-associated proteinases and intracellular peptidases, which break down peptides into amino acids [38]. [PERSON] et al. [38] reported on the protease activity during quinoa seed fermentation, including differences in protein mass. After fermentation with _L. plantarum_ CRL 778 for 24 h, no 38 kDa proteins remained, while 22 kDa proteins were formed, which were not present before fermentation. After disrupting the cells of _L. brevis_ and _L. plantarum_, various protein-degrading enzymes--proteases, endopeptidases, aminopeptidases, and dipeptidases--can be found in their extracts [39]. Cellulase activity is desirable to increase the efficiency of cellulose hydrolysis during fermentation to obtain a higher fermentable saccharide content and a higher content of primary metabolites of fermentation, including lactic and acetic acids as well as secondary metabolites. The antioxidant activity of the fermented hemp seed products depended on the LAB strain. Fermentation with _L. brevis_ increased the antioxidant activity up to 1.9 times, while fermentation with _L. plantarum_ and _L. acidophilus_ reduced the activity by 3.1 and 2.6 times, respectively. Other researchers have studied the effect of LAB fermentation on the antioxidant activity of seeds. In one study, the antioxidant activity of hemp seeds fermented with _L. plantarum_, _L. brevis_, and _Lactiaseibacillus paracasei_ was up to 4 times higher compared with unfermented seeds [40]. [PERSON] et al. [41] found that fermentation of hemp seeds using _Pediococcus acidilactici_ increased the antioxidant, anti-obesity, and anti-diabetic profile of hemp seeds. [PERSON] et al. [42] investigated the antioxidant properties of quinoa flour fermented with _Lacobacillus_ strains; fermentation with _L. plantarum_ increased the antioxidant activity. [PERSON] et al. [43] fermented quinoa seeds with an _L. plantarum_ strain and found a 2.5 times higher ABTS-+ radical scavenging ability after fermentation for 72 h compared with the control sample. The antioxidant activity was higher (1.3-1.4 times) after fermentation of lupine seeds using _Latilactobacillus sakei, P. acidilactici_, and _Pediococcus pentosaceus_ compared with unfermented lupine seeds [44]. The TPC was increased in the hemp seeds fermented with _L. plantarum_, _L. brevis_, and _L. acidophilus_ by 1.5, 5.0, and 2.0 times, respectively, compared with the unfermented hemp seeds. Other researchers have also reported that fermentation increases the TPC. [PERSON] et al. [40] reported a higher amount of polyphenic compounds in fermented hemp seeds compared with unfermented seeds. [PERSON] et al. [43] found that the TPC increased in quinoa seeds after fermentation with _L.