Comparison of the contents of benzo(a)pyrene, sesamol and sesamolin, and volatiles in sesame oils according to origins of sesame seeds

The objective of the present study was to compare the contents of antioxidants (sesamol and sesamolin) and benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), as well as the volatile profiles in sesame oil obtained from sesame seeds cultivated in four different areas in Korea, and those cultivated in other countries, including Ethiopia, India, and China. The sesamol content was lower in Korean sesame oils than in Ethiopian, Indian, and Chinese sesame oils, whereas sesamolin content was higher in sesame oils derived from Korea than those in sesame oils derived from other countries. There was also a difference in the contents of BaP in the sesame oils obtained from seeds in different cultivated areas. The volatiles that allowed Korean samples to be discriminated from those of other countries were mainly pyrroles and sulfur-containing compounds such as 1-ethyl-1H-pyrrole, 2-ethyl-4-methyl-1H-pyrrole, 2,4-dimethylthiazole, and 5-ethyl-4-methylthiazole.