FUNCTIONAL-PROPERTIES OF DEHULLED SESAME (SESAMUM-INDICUM L) SEED FLOUR

Certain functional properties of sesame seed flour were obtained after oil extraction from dehulled seed meal was investigated. The protein content in the flour was 69.7% and the least gelation concentration was 6.0%. Water and oil absorption capacities at room temperature (31 +/- 2-degrees-C) were 2.3 g H2O/g sample and 3.0 g oil/g sample, respectively. The values were higher at 100-degrees-C. The emulsification capacity, which was more stable at alkaline conditions, ranged from 25.0 mL oil/g sample at pH 4 to 66.0 mL oil/g sample at pH 10. The foaming capacity was more stable at pH 4 but lower (205.0%). The highest foaming capacity (315.0%) was at pH 2 whereas at pH 10 it was 310.0%. Protein solubility, which was least at pH 4, ranged from 7.9% at pH 2 to 14.2% at pH 10. The viscosity of the flour dispersion ranged from 2.5 cps at 1% concentration to 7.0 cps, at 10% concentration. The findings show that sesame flour could impart desirable characteristics when incorporated into products such as ice cream, frozen dessert, sausages, baked food and confections.