The interaction between lipid oxidation and the Maillard reaction model of lysine-glucose on aroma formation in fragrant sesame oil.

The formation mechanism behind the sophisticated aromas of sesame oil (SO) has not been elucidated. The interaction effects of the Maillard reaction (MR) and lipid oxidation on the aroma formation of fragrant sesame oil were investigated in model reaction systems made of l-lysine (Lys) and d-glucose (Glc) with or without fresh SO (FSO) or oxidized SO (OSO). The addition of OSO to the Lys-Glc model increased the MR browning at 294 nm and 420 nm and enhanced the DPPH radical scavenging activity greater than the addition of FSO (p < 0.05). The presence of lysine and glucose inhibited the oxidation of sesame oil, reduced the loss of γ-tocopherol, and facilitated the formation of sesamol (p < 0.05). The Maillard-lipid interaction led to the increased concentrations of some of the alkylpyrazines, alkylfurans, and MR-derived ketones and acids (p < 0.05) while reducing the concentrations of other pyrazines, lipid-derived furans, aliphatic aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, and acids (p < 0.05). The addition of FSO to the MR model enhanced the characteristic roasted, nutty, sweet, and fatty aromas in sesame oil (p < 0.05), while excessive lipid oxidation (OSO) brought about an unpleasant oxidized odor and reduced the characteristic aromas. This study helps to understand the sophisticated aroma formation mechanism in sesame oil and provides scientific instruction for precise flavor control in the production of sesame oil.

Comparison of methods for activating sesame stalk lignin biochar for removing benzo[a]pyrene from sesame oil.

In this study, three activators and two activation methods were employed to activate sesame lignin-based biochar. The biochar samples were comprehensively characterized, their abilities to adsorb benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) from sesame oil were assessed, and the mechanism was analyzed. The results showed that the biochar obtained by one-step activation was more effective in removing BaP from sesame oil than the biochar produced by two-step activation. Among them, the biochar generated by one-step activation with ZnCl2 as the activator had the largest specific surface area (1068.8776 m3/g), and the richest mesoporous structure (0.7891 m3/g); it removed 90.53 % of BaP from sesame oil. BaP was mainly adsorbed by the mesopores of biochar. Mechanistically, pore-filling, π-π conjugations, hydrogen bonding, and n-π interactions were involved. The adsorption was spontaneous and heat-absorbing. In conclusion, the preparation of sesame lignin biochar using one-step activation with ZnCl2 as the activator was found to be the best for removing BaP from sesame oil. This biochar may be an economical adsorbent for the industrial removal of BaP from sesame oil.

Identification of Adulteration of Flaxseed Oil From QINGHAI Area Using GC-MS Profiling of Phytosterol Composition and Chemometrics.

Flaxseed oil is an important source of vegetable oil with a polyunsaturated fatty acid. It is significant to establish a method to quickly identify adulterated flaxseed oil. In the present study, the qualitative and quantitative analysis of phytosterol of flaxseed oil from different varieties and different production areas in the Qinghai area was first performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and the phytosterol standard profile of flaxseed oil was established. Then, a combination of similarity evaluation and cluster analysis was used to distinguish pure flaxseed oil from flaxseed oil adulterated with concentrations of 10-50% rapeseed oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil, and sesame oil, and discriminant analysis was used to identify the types of adulterated flaxseed oil. The results showed that similarity evaluation combined with cluster analysis can distinguish pure and adulterated flaxseed oil when the concentration of the adulterant was greater than 10%. Discriminant analysis models accurately identified the types of adulterating oil in flaxseed oil when the concentration of rapeseed, peanut, or sunflower oil was greater than 20%, and that of sesame oil was greater than 30%. This study shows that the determination of the phytosterol composition and chemometrics is a valuable tool to evaluate the purity of flaxseed oil.

Aromatic Fingerprints: VOC Analysis with E-Nose and GC-MS for Rapid Detection of Adulteration in Sesame Oil.

Food quality assurance is an important field that directly affects public health. The organoleptic aroma of food is of crucial significance to evaluate and confirm food quality and origin. The volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions (detectable aroma) from foods are unique and provide a basis to predict and evaluate food quality. Soybean and corn oils were added to sesame oil (to simulate adulteration) at four different mixture percentages (25-100%) and then chemically analyzed using an experimental 9-sensor metal oxide semiconducting (MOS) electronic nose (e-nose) and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) for comparisons in detecting unadulterated sesame oil controls. GC-MS analysis revealed eleven major VOC components identified within 82-91% of oil samples. Principle component analysis (PCA) and linear detection analysis (LDA) were employed to visualize different levels of adulteration detected by the e-nose. Artificial neural networks (ANNs) and support vector machines (SVMs) were also used for statistical modeling. The sensitivity and specificity obtained for SVM were 0.987 and 0.977, respectively, while these values for the ANN method were 0.949 and 0.953, respectively. E-nose-based technology is a quick and effective method for the detection of sesame oil adulteration due to its simplicity (ease of application), rapid analysis, and accuracy. GC-MS data provided corroborative chemical evidence to show differences in volatile emissions from virgin and adulterated sesame oil samples and the precise VOCs explaining differences in e-nose signature patterns derived from each sample type.

Identification of sunflower, rapeseed, flaxseed and sesame seed oil metabolomic markers as a potential tool for oil authentication and detecting adulterations.

Testing the composition, quality and authenticity of edible oils is crucial to safeguard the consumers' rights and health. The aim of our study was to identify oil-specific markers to enable the differentiation and authentication of sunflower, sesame, flaxseed and rapeseed oils, and to evaluate their antioxidant activity, total phenolic and carotenoid content. A metabolomic approach based on liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry was employed for marker discovery. Spectrophotometric method was used for determination of antioxidant activity, total phenolic and carotenoid content. 76 oil samples from the four different manufacturers were examined. We identified 13 oil-specific markers for sunflower seed oil, 8 for rapeseed oil, 5 for sesame seed oil and 3 for flaxseed oil, their retention times, accurate masses, and characteristic fragment ions are reported. The abundances of the markers for each plant species were found to vary depending on the oil producer and the product batch. Significant differences in antioxidant activity, total phenolic and carotenoid content were also observed both between oils and within oil type. The highest total phenolic content (84.03 ± 4.19 to 103.79 ± 3.67 mg of gallic acid/kg) and antioxidant activity (245.67 ± 7.59 to 297.22 ± 2.32 mg Trolox/kg) were found in sesame seed and flaxseed oils, respectively. Identified metabolic markers can be used as qualitative markers to confirm the authenticity or to detect adulterations of oils. Composition, properties and authenticity testing should be more rigorous for food products marketed as health-promoting.

Investigations on color and flavor formed by roasting sesame polysaccharide-protein mixtures.

Roasting is an important operation to produce attractive colors and distinctive flavors during the production of sesame oil. To investigate the contributions of macromolecules to the color and flavor during roasting sesame seeds, water-soluble polysaccharides (WSP) and chelator-soluble polysaccharides (CSP) sequentially extracted from sesame hull were mixed with sesame protein isolate (SPI) at different ratios (1:1, 1:2, and 2:1, w/w), then the mixtures were roasted at 180 °C for 35 min. Results showed that WSP, CSP, and SPI degraded approximately at 150 °C and SPI had the highest thermal stability. According to monosaccharide/amino acid analysis, glucose and galacturonic acid showed the highest reduction rates, as well as lysine and arginine. CSP + SPI mixtures showed greater reactivity than WSP + SPI mixtures, resulting in a darker color and many more Maillard reaction products. The predominant volatiles of roasted WSP/CSP + SPI mixtures were aldehydes and heterocyclic compounds identified by headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME/GC-MS). This work provides some new information about flavor and color development during roasting sesame seeds.

Influence of different thermal treatment methods on the processing qualities of sesame seeds and cold-pressed oil.

This study investigated the impact of multiple thermal treatments (explosion-puffing, microwave, and roasting) on the processing qualities of sesame seeds and cold-pressed oil. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed fissures and cavities of sesame seed surface upon thermal treatments. The microwave treatment promoted the maximum conversion of sesamolin into sesamol in the sesame oil. Compared with other treatments, explosion-puffing treatment resulted in most significant increases in the multiple beneficial phytochemicals, as well as in vitro antioxidant properties determined by 2,2-dipheny1-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and oxidative stability index (OSI). Additionally, thermal treatment processing caused varying degrees of damage of crude protein, total amino acids (TAA) and protein structure (tertiary and second structure). In which, explosion-puffing achieved minimal reduction in the first two indicators. Collectively, explosion-puffing might be a preferable thermal treatment method for industrial sesame processing with improved quality specifications.

Application of Maillard Reaction Products Derived Only from Enzymatically Hydrolyzed Sesame Meal to Enhance the Flavor and Oxidative Stability of Sesame Oil.

The low-temperature roasting of sesame oil has become increasingly popular because of its nutritional benefits; however, the flavor is reduced. In order to improve the quality of sesame oil without exogenous addition, sesame meal was hydrolyzed and further used to prepare Maillard reaction products (MRPs) while protease hydrolysis (PH) and glucoamylase-protease hydrolysis (GPH) were used, and their respective Maillard products (PHM and GPHM) were added in the oils for reducing sugar and total sugar content determination, free amino acid determination, and color and descriptive sensory analysis, as well as electronic nose, SPME-GC-MS, odor activity value, and oxidative stability analyses. Results showed that the MRPs could be produced using the enzymatically hydrolyzed sesame meal without exogenous addition, and the oil flavor blended with GPHM (GPHM-SO) was significantly (p < 0.05) improved with the best sensory quality. The composition of pyrazines (119.35 µg/mL), furans (13.95 µg/mL), and sulfur substances (6.25 µg/mL) contributed positively to sensory properties in GPHM-SO, and 2,5-dimethylpyrazine, 2,6-dimethylpyrazine, and 2,3-dimethylpyrazine were characterized as the key flavor compounds with odor activity values of 7.01, 14.80, and 31.38, respectively. Furthermore, the oxidative stability of the oil was significantly improved with the addition of MRPs, and the shelf life of GPHM-SO was predicted to be extended by 1.9 times more than that of the crude oil based on the accelerated oxidation fitting analysis. In general, the MRPs derived only from sesame meal can enhance the flavor and oxidative stability of sesame oil and can be applied in the oil industry.

Authenticity Assessment from Sesame Seeds to Oil and Sesame Products of Various Origin by Differential Scanning Calorimetry.

The aim of this study was to conduct thermal characterization of sesame seeds and oils from various geographical origins (Ethiopia, India, Nigeria, Sudan, Turkey), different method of extraction (hexane and cold-pressing), and different types of derived products (halva and tahini). Thermal characterization was investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), which showed that origin of the seeds has no influence on the melting profile of sesame oil (peak temperature and enthalpy). Method of extraction (hexane and cold-pressing) influenced the peak temperatures of the resulting oils (p ≤ 0.05). The addition of 20% of palm olein to pure sesame oil influenced the significant changes in thermodynamic parameters such as peak temperature (Tm2), which was lowered from −5.89 °C to −4.99 °C, peak half width (T1/2), elevated from 3.01 °C to 4.52 °C, and the percentage of first peak area (% peak 1) lowered from 87.9 to 73.2% (p ≤ 0.05). The PCA method enabled to distinguish authentic and adulterated sesame oils of various origins. There were no significant differences in thermal properties among the products (halva, tahini) and the authentic sesame oil (p > 0.05). The obtained results showed DSC feasibility to characterize sesame oil and sesame products in terms of authenticity.

Effects of Seed Roasting Temperature on Sesame Oil Fatty Acid Composition, Lignan, Sterol and Tocopherol Contents, Oxidative Stability and Antioxidant Potential for Food Applications.

Roasting is a key step for preparing sesame oil that leads to important changes in its organoleptic properties and quality. In this study, white sesame seeds were roasted for 20 min in an electric oven at different temperatures (120, 150, 180, 210, 250 and 300 °C). The oils extracted from unroasted and roasted seeds were compared for their chemical composition: fatty acids (including trans isomers), phytosterols, lignans (sesamin and sesamolin), tocopherols and total phenolic compounds, as well as their oxidative stability and antiradical capacity. There were no obvious differences in the oil densities, refractive indexes or iodine values, but the saponification values were affected by temperature. Relevant primary and secondary lipid oxidation were observed at T > 250 °C, resulting in a higher p-anisidine value and K232 as well as K268 values. Roasting improved oil yield (from 33.5 to 62.6%), increased its induction period (from 5.5 to 10.5 h) and enhanced the total phenolic content (from 152 to 194 mg/100 g) and antiradical activity of the extracted oil. Depending on roasting temperature, a gradual decline was recorded in total amounts of phytosterols (up to 17.4%), γ-tocopherol (up to 10.6%), sesamolin (maximum of 27.5%) and sesamin (maximum of 12.5%). All the investigated oils presented a low quantity in triglyceride polymers, clearly below the maximum tolerated quantity according to the European regulation. The optimal roasting temperature for obtaining high nutritional grade oil within the permissible values was 210 °C. The unsaponifiable components (including lignans and sterols) extracted from roasted seeds have been shown to be natural additives to fresh meatball products to extend shelf life. The results of this study may help to boost the nutritional content of plant-based diets by allowing for the use of roasted sesame seed oil and its components.

Surface Chemistry Study of the Interactions of Sesame Oil with Meibomian Films.

A possible approach for the treatment of meibomian gland disease (MGD) can be the supplementation of meibomian gland secretion (MGS) with nonpolar lipids (NPL) rich plant oils. Sesame oil (SO), approximately equal in monounsaturated fat (oleic acid, 40% of total) and polyunsaturated fat (linoleic acid, 42% of total), has shown multiple health benefits due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Thus, the interactions between SO and MGS in surface layers deserve further study. Therefore, pseudobinary films were formed with controlled MGS/SO molar ratios (0%, 10%, 30%, 50%, and 100% SO) at the air/water surface of the Langmuir trough over phosphate buffered saline (pH 7.4) subphase. Surface pressure (π)-area (A) isotherms and Brewster angle microscopy observations showed nonideal interactions where SO aggregates with MGS and complements the NPL stratum of the meibomian layers. The analysis of stress relaxation transients with Kohlrausch-Williams-Watts equation revealed that the supplementation of fixed amount of MGS with excess lipids via SO altered the dilatational elasticity of the films as reflected by the increase of the exponent ß. Thus, SO with its unique combination of high oxidative stability and abundance of long polyunsaturated acyl chains might be a useful supplement to MGS layers.

Development, optimization, and evaluation of a nanostructured lipid carrier of sesame oil loaded with miconazole for the treatment of oral candidiasis.

Candida albicans is the fungus responsible for oral candidiasis, a prevalent disease. The development of antifungal-based delivery systems has always been a major challenge for researchers. This study was designed to develop a nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) of sesame oil (SO) loaded with miconazole (MZ) that could overcome the solubility problems of MZ and enhance its antifungal activity against oral candidiasis. In the formulation of this study, SO was used as a component of a liquid lipid that showed an improved antifungal effect of MZ. An optimized MZ-loaded NLC of SO (MZ-SO NLC) was used, based on a central composite design-based experimental design; the particle size, dissolution efficiency, and inhibition zone against oral candidiasis were chosen as dependent variables. A software analysis provided an optimized MZ-SO NLC with a particle size of 92 nm, dissolution efficiency of 88%, and inhibition zone of 29 mm. Concurrently, the ex vivo permeation rate of the sheep buccal mucosa was shown to be significantly (p < .05) higher for MZ-SO NLC (1472 µg/cm2) as compared with a marketed MZ formulation (1215 µg/cm2) and an aqueous MZ suspension (470 µg/cm2). Additionally, an in vivo efficacy study in terms of the ulcer index against C. albicans found a superior result for the optimized MZ-SO NLC (0.5 ± 0.50) in a treated group of animals. Hence, it can be concluded that MZ, through an optimized NLC of SO, can treat candidiasis effectively by inhibiting the growth of C. albicans.

Assessment of Agroeconomic Indicators of Sesamum indicum L. as Influenced by Application of Boron at Different Levels and Plant Growth Stages.

To achieve the nutritional target of human food, boron (B) has been described as an essential mineral in determining seed and theoretical oil yield of Sesamum indicum L. The research to increase its cultivation is garnering attention due to its high oil content, quality and its utilization for various purposes, which include human nutrition as well as its use in the food industry. For this, a two-year field experiment was performed at PAU, Punjab, India to determine the effect of different concentrations of foliar-applied B (20, 30 and 40 mg L-1) and different growth stages of crop, i.e., we measured the effects on agroeconomic indicators and certain quality parameters of sesame using different concentrations of B applied at the flowering and capsule formation stages as compared to using water spray and untreated plants. Water spray did not significantly affect the studied parameters. However, B application significantly increased the yield, uptake, antioxidant activity (AOA) and theoretical oil content (TOC) compared to those of untreated plants. The maximum increase in seed yield (26.75%), B seed and stover uptake (64.08% and 69.25%, respectively) as well as highest AOA (69.41%) and benefit to cost ratio (B:C ratio 2.63) was recorded when B was applied at 30 mg L-1 at the flowering and capsule formation stages. However, the maximum sesame yield and B uptake were recorded when B was applied at a rate of 30 mg L-1. A significant increase in TOC was also recorded with a B application rate of 30 mg L-1. For efficiency indices, the higher values of boron agronomic efficiency (BAE) and boron crop recovery efficiency (BCRE) were recorded when B was applied at 20 mg L-1 (5.25 and 30.56, respectively) and 30 mg L-1 (4.96 and 26.11, respectively) at the flowering and capsule formation stages. In conclusion, application of B @ 30 mg L-1 at the flowering and capsule formation stages seemed a viable technique to enhance yield, B uptake and economic returns of sesame.

Development of an ultrasonic system for industrial extraction of unheated sesame oil cake.

Sesame is a popular functional food in Asia. However, research on sesame seed oil cake compounds and their extraction methods is lacking. Ultrasound technology was applied to develop an efficient extraction method for this purpose. First, pilot-scale extraction from sesame oil cake was performed and optimized using response surface methodology. The extract obtained using optimized conditions (0% ethanol for 4 h at 20°C) showed the highest yield (45.1%) and inhibitory effect on reactive oxygen species (ROS; 55.1%). Compared to extracts obtained by conventional extraction methods, those obtained by ultrasound technology exhibited a higher extraction yield, greater antioxidant effect, and increased lignan content. Based on pilot-scale experiments, an industrial-scale ultrasonic extraction system was designed to extract a 2.1-ton solution at once. The extract contained sesaminol 1,2-diglucoside (4.6 mg/g) as the major component and showed 28.3% ROS inhibition activity. Our industrial ultrasound-assisted extraction method has potential application for other compounds.

Natural sesame oil is superior to pre-digested lipid formulations and purified triglycerides in promoting the intestinal lymphatic transport and systemic bioavailability of cannabidiol.

Lipid-based formulations play a significant role in oral delivery of lipophilic drugs. Previous studies have shown that natural sesame oil promotes the intestinal lymphatic transport and oral bioavailability of the highly lipophilic drug cannabidiol (CBD). However, both lymphatic transport and systemic bioavailability were also associated with considerable variability. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that pre-digested lipid formulations (oleic acid, linoleic acid, oleic acid with 2-oleoylglycerol, oleic acid with 2-oleoylglycerol and oleic acid with glycerol) could reduce variability and increase the extent of the intestinal lymphatic transport and oral bioavailability of CBD. The in vivo studies in rats showed that pre-digested or purified triglyceride did not improve the lymphatic transport and bioavailability of CBD in comparison to sesame oil. Moreover, the results suggest that both the absorption of lipids and the absorption of co-administered CBD were more efficient following administration of natural sesame oil vehicle compared with pre-digested lipids or purified trioleate. Although multiple small molecule constituents and unique fatty acid compositions could potentially contribute to a better performance of sesame oil in oral absorption of lipids or CBD, further investigation will be needed to identify the mechanisms involved.

Effects of variety, storage container, and duration on the physical properties, oil content, germination capacity, and seed loss due to Plodia interpunctella infestation of Ethiopian sesame.

BACKGROUND: Owing to fluctuations of international market prices and excess supply during peak harvesting seasons, farmers and traders often suffer from a low market price of sesame. Such a negative impact can be ameliorated by taking advantage of times with a better market price during the off season. This study aimed to investigate the impact of different storage containers on gravimetric properties and germination capacities of five different sesame varieties as well as their impact on Indian meal moth (Plodia interpunctella). RESULTS: There were differences among the types of storage containers in terms of moisture content, oil content, thousand seed weight, and germination capacity with the storage duration. However, in terms of bulk density, true density, and porosity, the results were consistent. On average, a few losses in thousand seed weight for varieties stored in Purdue Improved Crop Storage bags (1.7%), metal silos (2.4%), and GrainPro bags (3.4%) were observed during 12 months' storage compared with polypropylene bags (17%). The difference among sesame varieties in terms of weight loss and loss of webbing due to P. interpunctella varied with storage duration. On average, about 9.4% weight loss and 5.7% loss due to webbing was measured for seed stored in polypropylene bags due to the natural infestation of P. interpunctella. No pest was found in hermetic containers. CONCLUSION: In general, to fetch better market prices, the use of hermetic storage is more efficient to maintain the desired gravimetric properties and to prevent losses due to P. interpunctella infestation compared with the commonly used woven polypropylene bags. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Exploration of total synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy combined with pre-trained convolutional neural network in the identification and quantification of vegetable oil.

In order to distinguish different vegetable oils, adulterated vegetable oils, and to identify and quantify counterfeit vegetable oils, a method based on a small sample size of total synchronous fluorescence (TSyF) spectra combined with convolutional neural network (CNN) was proposed. Four typical vegetable oils were classified by three ways of fine-tuning the pre-trained CNN, the pre-trained CNN as a feature extractor, and traditional chemometrics. The pre-trained CNN was combined with support vector machines to distinguish adulterated sesame oil and counterfeit sesame oil separately with 100% correct classification rates. The pre-trained CNN combined with partial least square regression was used to predict the level of counterfeit sesame oil. The coefficient of determination for calibration (Rc2) values were all greater than 0.99, and the root mean square errors of validation were 0.81% and 1.72%, respectively. These results show that it is feasible to combine TSyF spectra with CNN for vegetable oil identification.

Critical kinetic parameters and rate constants representing lipid peroxidation as affected by temperature.

This study aimed to comparatively investigate the temperature effect on the kinetic parameters and rate constants representing lipid hydroperoxides (LOOH) formation and decomposition during initiation and propagation peroxidations. The initiation phase was characterized by induction period IP, overall initiation rate constant kIP, initiation oxidizability Oi, and the critical reverse micelle concentration of LOOH, CMCL. The propagation phase was characterized by its duration tp, the maximum rate of LOOH accumulation Rmax, maximum LOOH concentration [LOOH]max, propagation oxidizability Rn, composite rate constant kc, and LOOH decomposition rate constant kd. Oi and Rn indicated relatively high dependencies on temperature, respectively. Among the rate constants, kd better highlighted oxidizabilities as affected by temperature. The oxidizabilities had good correspondences with the Arrhenius kinetic (A and Ea) and Eyring thermodynamic (ΔS++ and ΔH++) parameters. The most endergonic reactions (ΔG++>0) were LOOH decompositions, followed by LOOH formations during the propagation and initiation phases, respectively.

Effects of "nine steaming nine sun-drying" on proximate composition, oil properties and volatile compounds of black sesame seeds.

Black sesame seeds (BSS) were processed by nine cycles of steaming and sun-drying, and the chemistry of their resulting products studied. That is, the shell color and structure, proximate composition, oil properties and volatile compounds of raw BSS were determined and compared with processed BSS. Various levels of shell color change and structure damage were observed. The proximate composition also differed, whereas the relative proportion of fatty acids and oil properties were unchanged. SPME-GCMS analysis revealed that aldehydes, hydrocarbons and alcohols were the main volatile compounds. And compared with raw BSS, four volatile substances were newly detected in the processed BSS. Principal component analysis (PCA) displayed the overall difference between samples and showed that repeated steaming and sun-drying process had a significant impact on the chemical composition of BSS.

Effects of Sesame Oil Aroma on Mice after Exposure to Water Immersion Stress: Analysis of Behavior and Gene Expression in the Brain.

(1) Background: Sesame has been popular as a healthy food since ancient times, and effects of the aroma component of roasted sesame are also expected. However, little research has been reported on its scent; (2) Methods: Jcl:ICR male mice were housed under water immersion stress for 24 h. Then, the scent of saline or sesame oil was inhaled to stress groups for 90 min. We investigated the effects of sesame oil aroma on the behavior and brains of mice; (3) Results: In an elevated plus maze test, the rate of entering to open arm and the staying time were decreased by the stress. These decrements were significantly enhanced by sesame oil aroma. Stress had a tendency to increase the serum corticosterone concentration, which was slightly decreased by the aroma. Expression of Kruppel-like factor-4 (Klf-4) and Dual-specificity phosphatase-1 (Dusp-1) in the striatum were increased by water immersion stress, and the level of Klf-4 and Dusp-1 in the striatum and hippocampus were significantly attenuated by sesame oil aroma (4) Conclusions: The present results strongly suggest that the odor component of sesame oil may have stress suppressing effects. Moreover, Klf-4 and Dusp-1 may be sensitive stress-responsive biomarkers.