Black Sesame Extract: A Health Treasure Merging Traditional Wellness Wisdom with Modern Technology

Since the old pharmacopoeias to the present health industry, black nutrients are pioneering a new trend of natural healthcare.

Black sesame is a miracle product of traditional Chinese medicine as the world becomes increasingly health-conscious. Modern extraction techniques, combined with scientific research, have elevated black sesame extract to a high-value natural component used in functional foods, food supplements, and cosmetic products with a wide market.

Black sesame extractis an active material prepared through modern extraction techniques using dried mature seeds of Sesamum indicum L. (Pedaliaceae) as the raw material. The process of making it involves cleaning, crushing, soaking, extraction, concentration, and drying, with maximum retention of nutritional components.

Presently, alcohol extraction and ultrasonic-assisted extraction are the common extraction techniques. Alcohol extraction (using a 50% ethanol solution) is performed under specific pH and temperature conditions, whereas ultrasonic-assisted extraction uses distilled water at 80 W ultrasonic power and 50 ℃ with high efficiency and low energy consumption, and without pollution.

The oil of black sesame contains many useful substances, e.g. fatty oils, lignans (sesamin and sesamolin), sesaminol triglucoside, folate, and nicotinic acid, proteins and cytochrome C. It is these two functional factors, namely sesamin and sesamolin that are the most basic, and they are very effective antioxidants.

Black sesame extractis available as a powder having a yellow to brownish-yellow coloration. It dissolves in water and does not easily disintegrate. The common types are 10:1 extract and 90% sesame.

Black sesame contains high levels of vitamin E, which is more than in most plant-based foods. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that, when taken in adequate quantities, makes the skin less dry and improves its complexion. Research demonstrates that black sesame extract reduces fat damage in elderly mice and improves thymic health, RNA in the thymus, and protein content in the liver.

The cardiovascular system is defended by black sesame extract. The main feature, linoleic acid, reduces cholesterol in the blood, improves blood vessel flexibility, and treats or prevents coronary arteriosclerosis. Blood cholesterol and triglyceride content is decreased by the action of plant sterols and cellulose, controlling blood lipids, eliminating hyperlipidemia, and enhancing overall health. According to research, polyunsaturated fatty acids, e.g., linoleic acid, lower blood viscosity, enhance blood flow, and are effective in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

The extracts of black sesame are known to whiten the hair, make the skin younger and have other cosmetic uses.

Black sesame extract exhibits distinctive benefits in skin care as well as hair darkening. The major cause of gray hair is reduced melanin production by the melanocytes of the black sesame hair follicle. Black sesame extract stimulates tyrosinase activity that leads to enhanced production of melanin, which naturally darkens the hair. The majority of the fats found in black sesame extract are unsaturated fats and linoleic acid is a good skin beautifier. Insufficient linoleic acid leads to dry skin and rough scales hence the name skin beautiful acid.

Immune Regulation and Metabolic Betterment

Black sesame extractenhances immunity. It contains iron, zinc, vitamin E and other nutrients which make the body more resistant to various diseases.

Regarding control of blood sugar, the ingestion of black sesame extract reduces the blood sugar in rats and increases the glycogen content in the liver and muscles. It has also been found to be protective to the liver, reducing MDA and increasing SOD in the livers of mice in which ethanol causes acute liver injury.

Multiple Development of Application Fields.

Black sesame extractis used as a nutritional tonic in the pharmaceutical industry to support liver and kidney function, and restore vital energy and blood levels, and provide intestinal moisture. The supplement helps to treat symptoms of dizziness and impaired vision, ringing in the ears and early onset of grey hair, hair loss after illness, and intestinal dryness that results in constipation.

Contemporary dietary supplements are available in the form of capsules and tablets and oral liquid forms to provide convenience to the users. The products that are designed to resist ageing and control cholesterol levels in middle aged and elderly consumers are popular. The younger generation has a lot of interest in beauty-enhancing and immune-system-enhancing products.

Black sesame extract is used as a natural colorant and nutritional additive to enhance the taste of sesame paste, biscuits, and sauces. As people are willing to purchase such products, new health products such as portable black sesame balls and black sesame milk are being introduced with the primary objective of providing quick health solutions. In the food industry, black sesame pigment is used in black cakes, biscuits, and instant noodles at a rate of 0.05% to 0.1%.

The cosmetic industry utilizes black sesame extract due to its nutritional benefits. The black sesame pigment is useful in hair conditioners at the concentration range of 8-10% to provide the detangling effect and enhance the shine and smoothness of the hair, as well as a mild darkening effect.

The product finds wide application in premium brands of eyebrow pencils and lipsticks and sesame soaps. The antioxidants and nutrients present in the product nourish the skin and reduce hair loss to provide customers with both beauty and wellness benefits.

Prospects of the Market and Future Trends

The market of the black sesame extract is experiencing a fast development period. According to the statistics, the black sesame market in China was about 5-6 billion RMB in 2022, with a compound annual growth rate of 6%-8%, and it could reach more than 7 billion RMB in 2025.

Consumption Upgrade Driving Growth

After the outbreak, 93% of the consumers consider that good health is the most important asset of life and 74% of them have changed their viewpoint on life. This has led to an increase in the demand for natural health products.

The consumers are now the new engine. The usual sesame paste may be eaten in the form of ready-to-eat sesame balls, which is a trend towards portability and "snackification". Other than sesame, goji berries and red dates, the young people are now consuming the high-end tonics such as bird's nest, ginseng and donkey-hide gelatin on a daily basis.

Industrial Upgrading Through Tech Innovation

These days, product innovation and extraction methods are improving rapidly. To collect natural plant extracts, supercritical fluid extraction technology is green. It is also more effective and offers improved extracts compared to the conventional high temperature reflux process. Products containing natural extracts to enhance particular health benefits such as heart and brain health are being developed by companies. To enhance the effectiveness and stability of extracts, microencapsulation and other new food technologies are used.

The Competitive Environment is All Over the World.

China is exporting less and bringing in more. Chinese factories churn out about 600,000-700,000 tonnes of black sesame every year. The country consumes 1-1.1 million tonnes which clearly shows high demand and growth potential in the market.

The nutritional benefits of black sesame are being embraced by two countries-Japan and South Korea-in the global market. Black sesame products are popular in Japanese stores. The country became the leading black sesame importer worldwide at one time which shows Asian demand is strong.

In future years, the industry will lay more emphasis on scientific innovation and market segmentation. It is Healthy China Initiative that is pushing forward and the international market of health consumption is on the rise, hence this ancient treasure of black sesame extract will be more conspicuous in the international health industry.

Through the traditional concept of medicine-food homology, black sesame extract has been a traditional health product that is now supported by modern technology in the form of an effective natural health product. Due to the increased demand for natural and healthy functional products, the extract can be used in supplements and functional foods as well as cosmetic applications, which will raise the value of human health and their quality of life.