Food safety issues associated with sesame seed value chains: Current status and future perspectives

Sesame (Sesamum indicum) is an oilseed crop which is increasingly recognised as a functional food by consumers due to its nutritional and nutraceutical components. Consequently, global demand for sesame has increased significantly over the last three decades. Sesame is an important export crop in producing countries, contributing to their socio-economic development. However, in recent years, major foodborne incidents have been associated with imported sesame seeds and products made with these seeds. Foodborne hazards are a potential risk to consumer health and hinder international trade due to border rejections and increased import controls. An insight into the routes of contamination of these hazards across the value chain and factors affecting persistence may lead to more focused intervention and prevention strategies. It was observed that Salmonella is a significant microbial hazard in imported sesame seeds and has been associated with several global outbreaks. Sesame is mainly cultivated in the tropical and subtropical regions of Africa and Asia by smallholder farmers. Agricultural and manufacturing practices during harvesting, storage, and processing before export may allow for the contamination of sesame seeds with Salmonella. However, only a few studies collect data on the microbiological quality of sesame across the value chain in producing countries. In addition, the presence of mycotoxins and pesticides above regulatory limits in sesame seeds is a growing concern. Eliminating foodborne hazards in the sesame value chain requires urgent attention from researchers, producers, processors, and regulators and suggestions for improving the safety of these foods are discussed.