Gamma Tocopherol Content of Iranian Sesame Seeds

Gamma tocopherol content of 7 Iranian sesame seeds (sesamum indicum L.) was determined by high performance liquid chromatography using C8 column and methanol, water and butanol as mobile phase. The gamma-tocopherol content varied from 563 to 1095 mg/kg in oil and 293 to 569 mg/kg in sesame seed and was in broad agreement with the Codex range. A large variation was found in the concentration of gamma-tocopherol in oils of different cultivars and the karaj cultivar had more gamma-tocopherol content than the Codex range with significant differences with the other cultivar. The gamma-tocopherol content was almost much more than the other literature values indicating the better nutritional value and oxidative stability in Iranian sesame seed. The present study showed that Iranian sesames are strong radical scavengers and can be considered as good sources of natural antioxidants for medicinal and commercial uses.