Natural White Sesame Seeds
Natural sesame seeds are whole white sesame seeds with the hull left on, cleaned and graded by purity. Elysium Agri exports natural white sesame from Gujarat in machine-cleaned and sortex-cleaned grades from 99/1 to 99.95% purity, tested for Salmonella, ethylene oxide and pesticide residues before every shipment.
Because the hull is left on, unhulled sesame keeps more calcium and fibre, has a longer shelf life and costs less than hulled. It is the grade bakers, confectioners, oil millers and hulling plants buy most.
Natural Sesame Seeds Specification
Purity
99/1, 99.90, 99.95% · 98/2 and 95/5 for crushing
Cleaning
Machine-cleaned or sortex (double sortex on request)
Moisture
6% max
Oil Content
48% min
FFA
1.5% max (sortex) · 2% max (machine-cleaned)
Other-Colour Seeds
1% max (99/1) · 0.05% max (99.95)
Salmonella
Absent in 25 g, tested per lot
ETO and Pesticides
Below EU MRLs, ETO < 0.05 mg/kg
Packing
25 / 50 kg PP, 25 kg paper, jumbo bags
Container Load
20 ft ≈ 19 MT · 40 ft ≈ 25–27 MT
Natural White Sesame Seeds: Full Specification
The standard export specification for our natural (unhulled) white sesame seeds. Send your own specification with your enquiry and we will match it.
| General | Specification | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Product | Natural white sesame seeds (Sesamum indicum L.), whole, unhulled | Also called unhulled or natural sesame |
| Origin | Gujarat (Saurashtra), India | — |
| Varieties | White-seeded Gujarat varieties such as G.Til 1–4, GJT-5, GT-6 | — |
| Crop / season | Kharif crop Oct–Nov; Gujarat summer crop Apr–Jun | Crop year stated on each contract |
| Colour | White to off-white / creamy | Visual |
| GMO status | Non-GMO | — |
| Physical | Specification | Test method / note |
|---|---|---|
| Purity (white seeds) | 99/1, 99.90, 99.95% (98/2, 95/5 for crushing) | ISO 658 (impurities) |
| Other-colour seeds (brown, black) | Per grade: 1% (99/1) to 0.05% (99.95) | Visual count |
| Foreign matter | 0.05–0.5% max per grade | ISO 658; AGMARK Special grade 0.5% |
| Damaged / discoloured seeds | 1% max | AGMARK Good grade 1% |
| Immature / shrivelled seeds | 1% max | AGMARK Special grade 1% |
| Moisture | 6% max | ISO 665; AGMARK Good grade 6% |
| Seed size | About 2.5–3.5 mm length | Indicative |
| 1000-seed weight | About 2.8–3.2 g (variety-dependent) | G.Til 4 = 2.80 g |
| Live insects | Nil | Container fumigated if required |
| Chemical | Specification | Test method / note |
|---|---|---|
| Oil content | 48% min (typical 48–52%) | ISO 659 |
| Free fatty acid (as oleic) | 1.5% max (sortex); 2% max (machine-cleaned) | ISO 660 |
| ProteinOn request | About 20–25% (typical) | On request |
| Food safety | Specification | Test method / note |
|---|---|---|
| Salmonella | Absent in 25 g | ISO 6579-1; tested per lot for EU (Annex II, Salmonella checks) |
| Ethylene oxide (sum of ETO + 2-chloroethanol) | Below EU MRL of 0.05 mg/kg (not detected) | GC-MS/MS at an NABL-accredited lab |
| Pesticide residues | Within EU / Japan / Korea (PLS 0.01 mg/kg default) MRLs | LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS multi-residue screen |
| Aflatoxin | B1 ≤ 2 µg/kg; total ≤ 4 µg/kg (EU) or as per your market | HPLC |
| E. coli | < 10 cfu/g | ISO 16649-2 |
| Commercial | Specification | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Packing | 25 / 50 kg PP · 25 kg multi-wall paper · 22.68 kg (50 lb) paper · 750 / 1,000 kg jumbo | Buyer's marks on request |
| Container load | 20 ft: about 19 MT · 40 ft: about 25–27 MT | See Natural Sesame Packing and Container Loading |
| HS code | 1207 40 90 (sesamum seeds, other) | 1207 40 10 is seed quality for sowing, not food export |
| Documents | Certificate of Analysis (Salmonella, pesticides incl. ETO, aflatoxin) · Phytosanitary Certificate · Official certificate for EU (Annex II) · Certificate of Origin · Fumigation Certificate (where required) | — |
What Sesame Purity Grades Mean
A grade such as 99/1 means 99% white seeds and 1% other-colour seeds or admixture. Higher purity needs sortex (optical colour) cleaning and costs more.
| Grade | Meaning | Cleaning | Typical buyer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 95/5, 98/2 | 95–98% white seeds; 2–5% other-colour seeds | Machine-cleaned | Oil crushers |
| 99/1 | 99% white seeds; 1% other-colour seeds | Machine-cleaned | Bakery, traders, hulling plants |
| 99.90% | 0.10% max admixture | Sortex | Food processors |
| 99.95% | 0.05% max admixture | Sortex | EU, Korea and Japan food buyers |
| 99.98% | 0.02% max admixture | Double sortex | — |
| AGMARK benchmark (% max) | Special | Good | General |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foreign matter | 0.5 | 1 | 2 |
| Immature / shrivelled | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Damaged / discoloured | Nil | 1 | 2 |
| Moisture | 5 | 6 | 7 |
AGMARK grades from the Directorate of Marketing & Inspection post-harvest profile of sesame. Codex has no standard for sesame seeds, and FSSAI has no separate whole-seed standard.
Machine-Cleaned or Sortex?
Machine Cleaned
Cleaned, graded and destoned. Grades 95/5 to 99/1. Lower price, for crushing and hulling.
Sortex Cleaned
Optical colour sorting removes off-colour and foreign seeds. Grades 99.90 and 99.95%.
Need seeds without the hull? Hulled Sesame Seeds →. Need black seeds? Black Sesame Seeds →
Natural Sesame Packing and Container Loading
| Pack type | Net weight | Units per 20 ft | Net per 20 ft | Net per 40 ft HC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PP bag (with or without liner) | 25 / 50 kg | 760 / 380 | 19 MT | 25–27 MT |
| Multi-wall paper bag | 25 kg | 760 | 19 MT | 25–27 MT |
| Paper bag | 22.68 kg (50 lb) | ≈ 840 | ≈ 19 MT | 25–26 MT |
| Jumbo bag | 750 / 1,000 kg | ≈ 19–25 | ≈ 19 MT | 25–26 MT |
Where Natural Sesame Seeds Are Used
Bakery Toppings
Buns, breads, bagels and crackers.
Confectionery
Til chikki, brittles, bars and halva.
Sesame Oil Milling
48%+ oil for cold-pressed and refined oil.
Hulling and Tahini Plants
Feed stock for hulled sesame and paste.
Asian and Middle Eastern Cooking
Roasted seeds, dressings and spice blends.
Snack Bars and Cereals
Crunch and nutrition in bars and granola.
White Sesame Seeds Price: What Sets It
Natural sesame is priced per metric tonne, FOB an Indian port. It trades below hulled sesame, and the grade and the crop move it most.
- Purity grade: sortex 99.95% costs more than machine-cleaned 99/1.
- Crop: kharif (Oct–Nov) and Gujarat summer (Apr–Jun) arrivals set supply.
- Demand and tenders: China and Korea buying and Korean government tenders move prices.
- Compliance: Salmonella- and ETO-tested lots for the EU carry a premium.
- Currency and freight: the rupee–dollar rate and freight to your port.
Prices move with the crop and the market, so we quote on the day. Tell us your grade, quantity and port for a current FOB, CFR or CIF price.
Tested, Certified and Traceable
EU shipments also carry the official certificate required for Indian sesame under Annex II of Regulation (EU) 2019/1793.
- Sourcing from Gujarat mandis
- Lot sampling by an NABL-accredited lab
- Salmonella, ETO / pesticide and aflatoxin tests
Documents with every shipment
Get a Natural Sesame Quote
Share your purity grade, quantity and destination, and we will send an FOB or CIF price with the spec sheet.
Thank you. Our sesame desk will send your price and spec sheet.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What are natural sesame seeds?
Natural sesame seeds are whole white sesame seeds with the hull (seed coat) left on, cleaned and graded by purity. They are also called unhulled sesame. Elysium Agri exports natural white sesame from Gujarat in grades from 99/1 to 99.95% purity.
What is the difference between natural and hulled sesame seeds?
Natural sesame keeps its hull, so it is slightly darker, crunchier, higher in calcium and fibre, and keeps longer. Hulled sesame has the hull removed, giving a whiter seed for tahini, halva and bakery. Hulled usually costs about 15% more.
What do 99/1 and 99.95% mean for sesame seeds?
The grade shows purity. 99/1 means 99% white seeds and 1% other-colour seeds or admixture, usually machine-cleaned. 99.95% means only 0.05% admixture and needs sortex (optical colour) cleaning. Higher purity costs more.
What is the specification of natural sesame seeds for export?
Standard export natural sesame has purity 99/1 to 99.95%, 6% max moisture, 48% min oil, 1.5–2% max FFA, 1% max damaged and immature seeds, Salmonella absent in 25 g, and ethylene oxide below the EU limit of 0.05 mg/kg.
Is Indian sesame tested for Salmonella and ethylene oxide?
Yes. Indian sesame for the EU is listed in Annex II of Regulation (EU) 2019/1793, so every consignment needs an official certificate with Salmonella and pesticide (including ETO) results, with 30% EU border checks for Salmonella and 20% for ethylene oxide. Elysium Agri tests every lot at an NABL-accredited lab.
What is the HS code for natural sesame seeds?
Natural sesame seeds for food use are exported under HS 1207 40 90 (sesamum seeds, other). HS 1207 40 10 is for sesame of seed quality, meant for sowing.
When is the new sesame crop available in India?
India's main kharif sesame crop arrives in October and November. Gujarat also grows a large summer crop that arrives from April to June, which keeps white sesame available for most of the year.
