The short answer: choose hulled sesame for tahini, hummus, halva and premium bakery; natural (unhulled) sesame for oil extraction, general food processing and cost-sensitive bakery toppings; and black sesame for speciality, Asian and decorative applications. The right grade within each type then depends on how much purity and moisture control your end product needs.
1. Natural (unhulled) sesame seeds
Natural sesame keeps its outer husk. That gives a slightly firmer bite and a fuller, nuttier flavour when roasted. At ARPRIC, natural sesame is machine cleaned and sortex processed and offered in two grades:
- Standard grade — 99% minimum purity, 1% maximum impurity
- Sortex grade — 99.95% minimum purity, 0.05% maximum impurity
Both grades have a minimum oil content of 48% and maximum moisture of 6%. Typical uses: sesame oil extraction (including cold-pressed oil), bakery toppings, confectionery, granola and spice blends.
2. Hulled sesame seeds
Hulled sesame has the husk removed, then is polished and sortex sorted. The result is a brighter, creamy-white seed with a softer texture and a more delicate taste — which is why it is the standard choice for tahini, hummus and halva.
Because appearance matters so much in these products, hulled sesame is sold in tighter purity grades: 99.95%, 99.97%, 99.98% and 99.99%, with impurity falling from 0.05% to 0.01% as the grade rises. Oil content stays at a 48% minimum and FFA at a 1% maximum.
3. Black sesame seeds
Black sesame has a deep black colour and a stronger, more intense flavour than white sesame. It is machine cleaned and colour sorted to remove white and off-colour seeds. ARPRIC offers two grades:
- Regular Black — 99.90% minimum purity
- Super Z Black — 99.95% minimum purity, with a deeper black colour
Black sesame is mainly processed against confirmed orders, so plan lead times with your supplier early.
Quick guide: which type for which use?
- Tahini, hummus, halva: hulled sesame, 99.95% and above (see our tahini and bakery buyer guide)
- Bakery toppings: hulled for a bright white finish; natural for a nuttier, lower-cost option; black for contrast and decoration
- Oil extraction: natural sesame — the 48% minimum oil content is the key number
- Asian dishes, sushi, speciality products: black sesame
- Retail packs: any type — choose by your market’s taste and price point
What to confirm before ordering
Whichever type you choose, agree a written specification before processing starts: purity and impurity, oil content, FFA, moisture, colour, packing and destination-market requirements such as microbiology and pesticide-residue limits. ARPRIC shares a specification sheet before every order, and samples can be arranged on request.