EFFECT OF STORAGE ON THE ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF Sesamum indicum L., TREATED THERMICALLY IN CONVENTIONAL AND MICROWAVE OVEN

Abstract

Sesame seed and oil (Sesamum indicum L.) have shown antioxidant activity (AA) that is modified because of their processing and storage, although studies in this regard continue to be scarce. The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the effect of different thermal treatments (conventional oven-HC and microwave oven-MO) and the time of storage (six months) on the AA of the sesame seed and its oil. The results showed that the highest AA was present in seed and oil treated in HC at 175 °C for 2.5 minutes (77.2 and 77.2, respectively). During storage, the AA decreased in every case, showing the greatest loss in the seed and oil without treatment (18.6 and 18.9 units respectively), followed by treatments in HC at 175 °C (8.1 and 7.8 units respectively), and those subject to treatment in MO for 2.5 minutes (3.4 and 5.3 units). The two thermal treatments applied favor the stability of the AA during six months of storage of the sesame seed and oil.