Determination of mineral content of various sesame and tahini products and the effect of ultrasound dehulling method on the mineral content of sesame

In this study, a total of 20 different minerals were analyzed using the ICP-MS method in 28 domestic and imported sesame seeds used in our country and also in 21 tahini products produced from these sesame varieties and offered for sale. Although the mineral contents of analyzed sesame seeds vary based on local and imported sesame, calcium, potassium, phosphorus and magnesium are the most abundant minerals. The average values of heavy metals in sesame samples were determined as arsenic 0,062, lead 0,075, cadmium 0,090, mercury 0,113 and antimony 0,172 mg/kg. It was determined that the mineral contents of tahini samples produced from imported and domestic sesame seeds varied considerably. Considering the values given for tahini in the Turkish Food Codex Tahini Communiqué (maximum amount of arsenic is 0,2 mg/kg, maximum amount of lead is 0,3 mg/kg, maximum amount of copper is 18 mg/kg, and maximum amount of iron is 75 mg/kg); it was determined that arsenic and lead results were appropriate in all samples, four samples in copper analysis and seven samples in iron analysis were above the evaluation limit. In the thesis study, the ultrasound method was also used for dehulling of sesame seeds using different amplitude (50% -100%) and duration (5, 10 and 15 min) variables and the effects of this dehulling process on the mineral content of sesame were investigated. The ultrasound method increased the rate of shell removal in sesame seeds up to approximately 76% in Muğla sesame seeds and 83% in Togo sesame seeds compared to the rate of shell removal (%) as a result of the traditional method. As a result of the study, depending on the increasing duration and amplitude levels, there was a decrease in the heavy metal content of sesame seeds, an increase in the contents of magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, copper, zinc, selenium, aluminum and chromium, and a decrease in the contents of iron, tin, manganese, boron and nickel.