Structural changes of cellulosic polysaccharides in sesame kernels during roasting

Summary This study investigated the structural changes of sesame kernel cellulosic polysaccharides during roasting and identified the volatile products produced from the degradation of cellulosic polysaccharides. The results showed that rhamnose and galacturonic acid of cellulosic polysaccharides were more susceptible to non‐enzymatic browning reaction than glucose. The degradation of cellulosic polysaccharides in the roasting temperature range of 180–220°C resulted in decreasing in their molecular weight from 163 270 to 125 477 Da. The crystallinity increased from 16.4% to 32.5% revealing that mainly the amorphous regions of cellulosic polysaccharides were degraded during roasting. In addition, the volatiles from degradation of the amorphous region were rich in aldehydes (10.17–33.33%) and furans (12.84–41.55%). This study provides a new perspective for improving the quality of sesame kernel products in the food industry.