Sesame

What is Sesame?

Sesame is a crop that produces oil-rich seeds commonly used in Middle Eastern, Asian, and health food products. Under FSANZ Standard 1.2.3, sesame is a declared allergen listed in Schedule 9 (added in 2021). Its presence in a food product must be declared on the label in plain English, regardless of the amount present — there is no threshold below which declaration can be omitted.

The addition of sesame as a Schedule 9 allergen in 2021 was driven by increasing recognition of sesame allergy prevalence in developed countries and the growing use of sesame seeds and sesame oil in food manufacturing, particularly in health food and plant-based product sectors.

Sesame Allergy and Cross-Reactivity

Sesame allergy affects approximately 0.1–0.5% of the general population in Western countries, but prevalence is significantly higher in countries where sesame products are consumed more frequently (Middle East, Asia, Africa). Sesame allergy can cause severe reactions and is listed as a priority allergen by many international food safety bodies.

Sesame is not typically cross-reactive with other common allergens (tree nuts, peanuts), though some individuals with multiple allergies may be sesame-allergic. Sesame allergy is distinct and separate; people with a sesame allergy cannot reliably assume they are safe with tree nuts.

Sesame in Practice for Australian Food Manufacturers

What triggers sesame declaration? Any detectable sesame ingredient in any amount. If your recipe includes sesame seeds, sesame oil, tahini (sesame paste), or any sesame-derived ingredient, it must be declared as "Sesame" on the ingredient list or as a separate allergen statement.

Uses of sesame in food manufacturing:

• Tahini (sesame paste) in hummus, dressings, and Middle Eastern foods
• Sesame oil in Asian sauces, dressings, and stir-fry products
• Sesame seeds as toppings on bread, bagels, crackers, and salads
• Sesame-based health foods including sesame protein powders and sesame energy bars

Common mistakes:

Assuming sesame is safe because allergy is relatively rare in Australia. Rarity does not mean absence. Sesame allergy affects a significant proportion of people in Australia's multicultural communities.

Not checking composite ingredients for sesame. If you use a supplier-provided spice blend, sauce, or prepared ingredient, verify that it does not contain sesame. Request full ingredient disclosure from all suppliers.

Using generic terms like "oils" without specifying sesame. If your ingredient list says "vegetable oils" but one of those oils is sesame oil, this is not adequate disclosure. Sesame must be specifically named.

Worked example: An Australian bakery produces sesame seed bagels. Every pack carries the allergen statement "Contains Sesame" in addition to the full ingredient declaration: "Sesame seeds (2%)". This alerts consumers with sesame allergy to avoid the product.

How Batchbase Handles Sesame Allergens

When you add sesame as an ingredient in Batchbase, the system automatically flags it as a Schedule 9 allergen (added since 2021). When generating labels for products containing sesame, Batchbase automatically includes the allergen declaration on both the ingredient list and the allergen statement. If you change a recipe to remove sesame, the allergen statement is automatically updated.

Related Standards and References

• FSANZ Standard 1.2.3 — Warning statements, advisory statements and declarations (Schedule 9 allergens)
• FSANZ food standards code