Sesame seeds
Sesame seeds suppliers and sourcing guide
Sesame seeds come from Sesamum indicum, grown mainly in Sudan, Nigeria, Tanzania, India, Ethiopia and Myanmar. The seeds are cleaned and sorted, and many are hulled by soaking and mechanically removing the seed coat to give white hulled sesame; unhulled (natural) seed keeps its coat. Seed is sold raw or toasted, in white, brown and black types, and is ground into tahini and pressed for sesame oil.
- Category
- Food staples and powders
- Also known as
- Sesamum indicum · benne seed · hulled sesame · natural sesame
- Facts checked
- November 2026
Forms and grades of sesame seeds
Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.
Hulled white
Seed coat removed, used for bun toppings, bakery and tahini; usually sorted to high purity.
Natural (unhulled)
White, brown or golden seed with the coat intact, used in snacks, crackers and confectionery.
Black sesame
Unhulled black-seeded types used for color and flavor in bakery, desserts and Asian foods.
Toasted
Seed roasted for flavor, with tighter moisture and rancidity specifications.
Organic
Certified organic seed, mostly from African and Indian origins.
What to check on the COA
Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.
- Purity and foreign material
- Purity by weight (for example 99.95 percent for hulled), plus stones, other seeds and black seeds in white lots.
- Moisture and free fatty acids
- Loss on drying and free fatty acids by titration as a check on storage condition.
- Salmonella
- Salmonella on a defined sampling plan; sesame has a history of Salmonella findings, so many buyers require a validated kill step or certificate per lot.
- Pesticides and ethylene oxide
- Multi-residue pesticide screen by GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS, with ethylene oxide (as 2-chloroethanol) where exporting to markets that test for it.
- Aflatoxins
- Aflatoxin B1 and total aflatoxins by HPLC or LC-MS/MS.
- Heavy metals
- Lead, cadmium, arsenic and mercury by ICP-MS, reported against the supplier's specification or the buyer's own limits.
Storage, lots and expiry
Storage and shelf life
Keep seed sealed in a cool, dry warehouse; hulled and toasted seed oxidize faster than natural seed and are best kept cool. Shelf life is set by the supplier's specification, and older lots are checked for rancid odor and free fatty acids before use.
Lots and expiry dates
Color, purity and micro results vary by origin and crop, so record origin, hulling plant and any pasteurization step per lot. Because sesame is a major food allergen in the U.S., track it in allergen controls and label review.
Regulatory status
Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.
FDA lists sesame among the nine major food allergens recognized in the U.S.; the FASTER Act, signed April 23, 2021, declared sesame the 9th, effective January 1, 2023.
Source: fda.gov (opens in a new tab)FDA's Substances Added to Food inventory lists sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) with the technical effects color or coloring adjunct, flavor enhancer, and flavoring agent or adjuvant, and cites 21 CFR 182.10.
Source: hfpappexternal.fda.gov (opens in a new tab)Health Canada's Natural Health Products Ingredients Database lists sesame seed (Sesamum indicum) as a non-medicinal ingredient with purposes including filler and flavour enhancer.
Source: webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca (opens in a new tab)
This is general information, not regulatory advice. Status differs by country and by how the ingredient is used, so check the rules for your product and market.
Sesame seeds suppliers
Manufacturers and distributors whose own websites say they sell it.
We are checking sesame seeds suppliers now
Every listing is checked against the supplier’s own website before it goes live, so this list fills in over the coming weeks. The specs and COA checklist above are ready today.
Sell sesame seeds? Request a listingFrequently asked questions
What forms of sesame seeds can brands buy?
Common forms include hulled white, natural (unhulled), black sesame, toasted and organic. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.
What should the COA for sesame seeds include?
Expect purity and foreign material, moisture and free fatty acids, salmonella, pesticides and ethylene oxide, aflatoxins and heavy metals, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.
How should sesame seeds be stored?
Keep seed sealed in a cool, dry warehouse; hulled and toasted seed oxidize faster than natural seed and are best kept cool. Shelf life is set by the supplier's specification, and older lots are checked for rancid odor and free fatty acids before use.
What is the regulatory status of sesame seeds?
FDA lists sesame among the nine major food allergens recognized in the U.S.; the FASTER Act, signed April 23, 2021, declared sesame the 9th, effective January 1, 2023. FDA's Substances Added to Food inventory lists sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) with the technical effects color or coloring adjunct, flavor enhancer, and flavoring agent or adjuvant, and cites 21 CFR 182.10. Health Canada's Natural Health Products Ingredients Database lists sesame seed (Sesamum indicum) as a non-medicinal ingredient with purposes including filler and flavour enhancer.
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