The storage stability of the commercial sesame pastes was evaluated for changes in colloidal stability and oxidative stability. The study was conducted for 180 days at storage temperature of 4°C, room temperature (average 20.5°C) and 40°C. The particle sizes of sesame pastes grew with the rising storage temperatures. The oil separations were highest at room temperature, which might be ascribed to the temperature fluctuation. With the elongation of storage time, the acid values of the sesame pastes rose most obviously at 40°C and slightly at 4°C, respectively. The peroxide value is a more sensitive index, and according to set limit for the 19.7 meq O2/kg peroxide values, the sesame pastes are recommended to be stored no more than 30 days at 40°C, 60 days at room temperature, or 120 days at 4°C, respectively.
Keywords: oil separation; oxidative stability; particle sizes; peroxide value; sesame paste; storage.