Profiling anti-Nutritional factors and toxic heavy metals in sesame oil: Comparative analysis of four Iranian varieties
Document Type : Original research
Authors
1 Department of Health & Food Quality Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ardakan University, P.O. Box 184, Ardakan, Iran.
2 a Department of Health & Food Quality Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ardakan University, P.O. Box 184, Ardakan, Iran. b Biology and Animal Reproduction Science Research Institute, Ardakan University, P.O. Box 184, Ardakan, Iran.
Abstract
Sesame seeds are a globally important food commodity and a high-quality source of cooking oil, particularly in Asia. This study profiled the levels of heavy metals (lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury) and anti-nutritional factors (oxalate, phytate) in four sesame varieties available in Iran (two domestic: Behbahani, Lari; two imported: Pakistani, Sudanese). Oil was extracted by cold pressing, and analyses were conducted using atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Lead ranged from 1.62-5.45 mg/kg, cadmium 0.45-0.99 mg/kg, phytic acid 0.76-1.50 mg/kg, and oxalic acid 64.01-169.49 mg/kg. The Behbahani variety exhibited the highest levels across all contaminants, while the Sudanese variety showed the lowest. The Pakistani variety had the highest calcium content, and the Sudanese variety had the highest iron, zinc, and magnesium concentrations. These findings highlight the significant varietal differences in sesame oil's
Keywords
Main Subjects
Amini, M., Golmakani, M. T., Abbasi, A., & Nader, M. (2023). Effects of sesame dehulling on physicochemical and sensorial properties of its oil. Food Science & Nutrition, 11(10), 6596-6603.
Bello, F., Salami-Jaji, J. U. I., Sani, I., Abdulhamid, A., & Fakai, I. M. (2013). Evaluation of some antinutritional factors in oil-free white Sesamum indicum L. seed cake. International Journal of Food Nutrition and Safety, 4(1), 27-33.
Chandrasekaran, V. R. M., Hsu, D. Z., & Liu, M. Y. (2014). Beneficial effect of sesame oil on heavy metal toxicity. Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, 38(2), 179-185.
Ghavami, M., Gharachorloo, M., & Ghiasi Tarzi, B. (2008). A Text Book of Laboratory Techniques Oils & Fats. Tehran: Islamic Azad University of Science and Research Branch. [in persian].
González-Torres P, Puentes JG, Moya AJ, La Rubia MD (2023). Comparative study of the presence of heavy metals in edible vegetable oils. Applied Sciences. 13(5), 3020.
Jacob JO, Kakulu SE. (2012). Assessment of heavy metal bioaccumulation in spinach, jute mallow and tomato in farms within Kaduna Metropolis, Nigeria. American Journal of Chemistry. 2(1), 13-6.
Jaffar, H. M., Akhtar, I., Saleem, M. Z., Malik, T., & Ayub, A. (2025). A comprehensive review of the health benefits, nutritional composition, and agricultural aspects of sesame seeds. Journal of Food Biochemistry, 2025(1), 8713698.
Johnson LA, Suleiman T, Lusas EW. (1979). Sesame protein: A review and prospectus. Journal of the American Oil Chemists’ Society. 56(3), 463-8.
Kheirati Rounizi S, Mohajeri FA, Broujeni HM, Jambarsang S, Kiani H, Sadrabad EK, Gharachorloo M, Ghavami M. (2021). The chemical composition and heavy metal content of sesame oil produced by different methods: A risk assessment study. Food Science and Nutrition. 9(5), 2245-53.
Liu, T., Shi, H. M., Elejalde, U., & Chen, X. (2024). Classification of sesame oil based on processing-originated differences in the volatile organic compound profile by a colorimetric sensor. Foods, 13(20), 3230.
Makinde FM, Akinoso R. (2014). Comparison between the nutritional quality of flour obtained from raw, roasted and fermented sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) seed grown in Nigeria. Acta Scientiarum Polonorum Zootechnica. 13(3), 309-19.
Mehari, B., Yimer, T. F., Beletkachew, T., Alem, E., Negash, W., Mulu, M., ... & Miretie, A. (2025). Trace metals and their human health risks in sesame seeds from the main cultivation areas of Ethiopia. Plos one, 20(3), e0319566.
Noonan SC, Savage GP. (1999). Oxalate content of foods and its effect on humans. Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 8(1), 64-74.
Park M-K, Yoo J-H, Lee J-B, Im G-J, Kim D-H, Kim W-I. (2013). Detection of heavy metal contents in sesame oil samples grown in Korea using microwave-assisted acid digestion. Journal of Food and Safety. 28(1), 45-9.
Rahimi M, Gharachorloo M, Ghavami M. (2020). Determination of some antinutritional factors and heavy metals in sesame oil, raw and peeled sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) seed of two varieties cultivated in Iran. Food Science and International. 17, 169-81.
Rounizi SK, Mohajeri FA, Broujeni HM, Jambarsang S, Kiani H, Sadrabad EK, Gharachorloo M, Ghavami M. (2023). The mineral content of sesame seed and its transition to ardeh and refined sesame oil. Iranian Journal of Food Science and Technology Research. 19(4), 85-96.
Wei, P., Zhao, F., Wang, Z., Wang, Q., Chai, X., Hou, G., & Meng, Q. (2022). Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.): A comprehensive review of nutritional value, phytochemical composition, health benefits, development of food, and industrial applications. Nutrients, 14(19), 4079.
)