Sesame

Sesame, (Sesamum indicum), also called benne, erect annual plant of the family Pedaliaceae, grown since antiquity for its seeds, which are used as food and flavoring and from which a prized oil is extracted. Widely cultivated, the sesame plant is found in most of the tropical, subtropical, and southern temperate areas of the world. The aroma and taste of benne are mild and nutlike. The chief constituent of the seed is its fixed oil, which usually amounts to about 44 to 60 percent. Noted for its stability, the oil resists oxidative rancidity. The seeds are also high in protein and are rich in thiamin and vitamin B6.

History and Uses

The sesame plant likely originated in Asia or East Africa, and ancient Egyptians are known to have used the ground seed as grain flour. The seeds were used by the Chinese at least 5,000 years ago, and for centuries they have burned the oil to make soot for the finest Chinese ink blocks. The Romans ground its seeds with cumin to make a pasty spread for bread. Once it was thought to have mystical powers, and sesame still retains a magical quality, as shown in the expression “open sesame,” from the Arabian Nights tale of “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves.”

Its Oil is used as a salad oil or cooking oil, in shortening and margarine, and in the manufacture of soaps, pharmaceuticals, and lubricants. its Oil is used as an ingredient in cosmetics. The press cake remaining after the oil is expressed is highly nutritious.

The whole seed is used extensively in the cuisines of the Middle East and Asia. Halvah is a confection made of crushed and sweetened sesame seeds. In Europe and North America, the seeds are used to flavor and garnish various foods, particularly bread and other baked goods.

Sesame Specification :

White sesame:

Oil Content Min. 48%.
Admixture Max.1%.
Purity Min. 99%.
Foreign matter Max. 1%.
FFA Max. 2%.
Other color seeds Max. 2%.

White / Red sesame:

Oil Content Min. 52%.
Admixture Max.1%.
Purity Min. 99%.
Foreign matter Max. 3%.
FFA Max. 3%.
Other color seeds Max. 3%.