The impact of processing on the profile of volatile compounds in sesame oil

Abstract The flavor of sesame oil significantly depends on the roasting conditions and the relative concentrations of volatiles. In the present study, volatile components from three varieties of sesame oil produced by roasting the seeds under different conditions were analyzed and profiled using GC–mass chromatography. The results showed that the roasting temperature had an obvious effect on the aroma of the oils since there was an increase in the concentration of the volatiles responsible for aroma such as pyrazines, furans, and sesamol as the temperature at which the seeds were roasted was increased. However, the concentration of some components such as alcohols and aldehydes, decreased with an increase in the roasting temperature. The roasting conditions have an important effect on the characteristic aroma of sesame oil. Other methods used to process sesame oil, such as solvent extraction, mechanical pressing and hot water flotation, were also investigated. Sesame oil produced using the Chinese traditional hot water flotation method had the most preferred flavor. There was good consistency between the principal components analysis (PCA) and sensory evaluation. The results of the present study suggested that production of sesame oil with the most acceptable aroma was dependent on the appropriate processing method.