Roasted Sunflower Kernel Paste (Tahini) Stability: Storage Conditions and Particle Size Influence

Abstract

Abstract Sunflower tahini faces quality problems due to the tendency of oil to exudate, causing accelerated rancidity and low marketability. In this study, the colloidal and oxidative stability of different trimodal particle size distributions of sunflower tahini (cumulative volume percentages of small, middle and large class populations of 9.61–16.67, 43.03–55.03 and 47.36–28.3) was evaluated during storage at three different temperatures. Decreasing sample particle size decreased the sunflower tahini colloidal stability. The coarsest prototype, being the most stable tahini in terms of oil separation, was included in the oxidative stability storage test together with a commercial tahini. The peroxide values of the studied sunflower tahini samples increased significantly ( p < 0.05) with storage time, irrespective of storage temperature, while the p‐anisidine values showed an irregular pattern. Considering 30‐meq O 2 /kg as a PV limit, the commercial tahini showed good oxidative stability as it was under this when stored 3 months at 4 °C, 2 months at room temperature and 1 month at 40 °C. The coarsest tahini sample was under the limit when stored 2 months at 4 °C, 1 month at room temperature and 2 weeks at 40 °C. Particle size was shown to be an essential parameter for controlling sunflower tahini's overall stability.