Proximate composition of Turkish sesame seeds and characterization of their oils

A proximate composition of four varieties of Turkish sesame seeds (moisture, ash, protein, oil) was determined along with a characterization of their oils (fatty acids, triacylglycerols and desmethylsterols) The results of the proximate analysis showed the following contents: moisture, 4,40%; ash, 4,41%; protein, 21,00%; and oil, 54,26%. Oleic and linoleic acids were the major unsaturated fatty acids while palmitic and stearic were the main saturated. The triacylglycerol composition of the sesame oil samples was determined by HPLC and LOL; LOO; PLO; LLL; 000 were the major triglycerides while triacylglycerols containing oleic and linoleic acyl residues comprize 62,45% of the total. The major desmethyl sterols found in sesame seed oils were P-sitosterol, campasterol, stigma-sterol, and Delta-5, avenasterol. Small proportions of cholesterol, clerosterol 5,24 stigmastedienol, Delta-7, stigmastenol and avenasterol were also identified.