10 TPD Sesame Oil Plant in Myanmar — Mandalay Dark Toasted Sesame Oil Mill Case Study

Q: What are Thai food industry requirements for imported sesame oil?

Thailand FDA (Food and Drug Administration) requires imported sesame oil to be registered under the Thai Food Act B.E. 2522 (1979). For dark toasted sesame oil import, requirements include: Thai FDA Form Sor.Bor.O. 5 product registration, laboratory testing by Thai FDA-recognised laboratory (FFA, peroxide value, moisture, colour, sesamol/sesamolin content as authentication markers, absence of adulteration), Certificate of Analysis from the exporting country, and labelling in Thai language for retail products. For industrial/B2B supply (e.g., to food manufacturers), registration process is simpler. Thai food manufacturers for noodles and seasonings typically require consistent colour (>200Y Lovibond), viscosity specification, and sesamol content as quality benchmarks. This Mandalay plant achieved Thai FDA import approval 4 months after commissioning.

Q: Natural settling vs mechanical filtration — which is better for sesame oil?

For dark toasted sesame oil, the choice between natural gravity settling and immediate mechanical filtration affects both quality and cost. Natural gravity settling (7 days in settling tanks): allows suspended fine sesame particles (which carry toasted sesame flavour compounds) to slowly settle under gravity without heat or pressure. The result is a naturally clear oil that retains maximum roasted flavour compounds. Traditional sesame oil producers in Japan, Korea, and China use extended natural settling as a quality marker. Mechanical filtration (plate filter press or centrifuge): faster processing, less tank space required, but mechanical pressure may compress fine particles releasing bitter compounds, and rapid filtration can remove some desirable flavour-carrying fine particles. For this Myanmar export plant targeting premium Thai food industry buyers who specify natural settling as a quality indicator, the 7-day settling protocol followed by final plate filtration provides the optimal balance of clarity, flavour, and production efficiency.

Project Overview

The Challenge

A Mandalay sesame oil producer had an opportunity: Thailand's food industry uses large volumes of dark toasted sesame oil as a seasoning, and Myanmar produces high-quality sesame at lower cost than Thai domestic processors. The challenge was meeting Thai food industry specifications for dark colour (>200Y Lovibond), consistent viscosity, and strong toasted aroma — and obtaining Thai FDA food import documentation to clear Thai customs.

Previous Myanmar sesame exports to Thailand had been inconsistent in colour and flavour, rejected by Thai manufacturers who require lot-to-lot consistency. The SinoOil design had to deliver predictable, measurable results every batch.

The Solution

SinoOil's dark toasted sesame oil process uses precise high-temperature roasting as the key quality control step:

CYJ-1.5 rotary roaster at 200–220°C — temperature precisely controlled by thermocouple and variable-speed drum for uniform Maillard reaction development
6YL-130 screw presses processing roasted sesame at hot-press conditions (cake exit 80–100°C for dark sesame)
7-day natural gravity settling in 5T SS tanks — longer settling than for light sesame produces superior clarity in dark oil without bleaching
Plate filter final polish to export presentation clarity
No refinery — dark sesame oil consumers specifically want the roasted flavour and character; refining would remove it
Thai FDA Form Sor.Bor.O. 5 compliance documentation package provided
Colour and viscosity QC instruments with batch records for each export shipment

#	Equipment	Model / Specification	Qty
1	Sesame cleaning screen	TQLZ50, 2.5T/h	1
2	Destoner	Gravity destoner TQSx	1
3	High-temperature rotary roaster	CYJ-1.5, 200–220°C, thermocouple controlled, 1.5T/h	1
4	Screw oil press	6YL-130, 5 TPD each	2
5	Natural settling tanks (7-day)	SS304, 5T each	3
6	Plate filter (final polish)	BASY-320, cast iron	1
7	Dark sesame oil storage tanks SS	3T SS304, 4 units	4
8	Export packaging line (glass bottle)	Semi-auto, 150ml/250ml/500ml glass	1
9	Colour measurement instrument	Lovibond Tintometer PFX 195 or equivalent	1
10	Viscosity measurement instrument	Rotational viscometer for QC	1

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between light and dark sesame oil production processes?

Light sesame oil is pressed from raw (unroasted) sesame seeds, producing a pale golden oil with a mild, delicate flavour. Processing: clean seeds, press at moderate temperature (80–100°C cake exit), filter. Dark toasted sesame oil is pressed from heavily roasted seeds (200–220°C roasting), producing a deep amber oil with powerful smoky, nutty roasted aroma used as a finishing seasoning in Asian cuisine. The high-temperature roasting develops Maillard reaction compounds (pyrazines, furans) responsible for the characteristic aroma. Dark sesame oil cannot be obtained by adding colour to light sesame oil — the roasting step is essential for the correct flavour profile that food industry buyers and chefs recognise and test for (sesamol and pyrazine marker compounds). This Mandalay plant focuses exclusively on dark toasted sesame oil for the Thai export market.

What are Thai food industry requirements for imported sesame oil?

Thailand FDA requires imported sesame oil to be registered under the Thai Food Act B.E. 2522. For dark toasted sesame oil import, requirements include: Thai FDA Form Sor.Bor.O. 5 product registration, laboratory testing by a Thai FDA-recognised laboratory (FFA, peroxide value, moisture, colour, sesamol/sesamolin content as authentication markers), Certificate of Analysis from the exporting country, and Thai language labelling for retail products. For industrial/B2B supply to food manufacturers, registration is simpler. Thai food manufacturers typically specify consistent colour (>200Y Lovibond), viscosity, and sesamol content as quality benchmarks across shipments. This Mandalay plant achieved Thai FDA import approval 4 months after commissioning, enabling the first export container to ship on schedule.

How is sesame oil colour measured and what are the standards?

Sesame oil colour is measured using the Lovibond tintometer system. The Lovibond system measures colour in Red (R) and Yellow (Y) values using standardised glass slides at a defined cell length. Light sesame oil: typically 5–20Y Lovibond. Medium-roast sesame oil: 50–150Y. Dark toasted sesame oil: >200Y, with premium dark sesame reaching >300Y. This Mandalay plant consistently produces oil measuring >250Y Lovibond, meeting Thai food industry specifications. The colour directly correlates with roasting intensity — the CYJ-1.5 rotary roaster at 200–220°C with thermocouple control reliably produces consistent dark amber colour lot-to-lot, which was a key requirement for the Thai food manufacturer client who uses the oil in a standardised seasoning recipe.

How do Myanmar sesame varieties compare in quality to other origins?

Myanmar is one of the world's largest sesame producers, with production in the Mandalay region, Magway Division, and Bago. Myanmar sesame — particularly Hmawbi white sesame and Mandalay varieties — is recognised for high oil content (48–52%), good sesamol/sesamolin content (natural antioxidants providing oxidative stability), and clean, mild base flavour that roasts well without off-notes. Compared to Indian sesame (similar quality, slightly lower oil content), Ethiopian sesame (excellent quality for light sesame but more expensive), and Chinese domestic sesame (variable, lower oil content): Myanmar sesame offers excellent oil content, antioxidant quality, and price competitiveness due to lower local production costs. Myanmar's geographic proximity to Thailand (major sesame oil market) also reduces freight costs compared to competing origins, supporting competitive landed cost for Thai buyers.

Natural settling vs mechanical filtration — which is better for sesame oil?

For dark toasted sesame oil, natural gravity settling and mechanical filtration have different quality impacts. Natural gravity settling (7 days): allows suspended fine sesame particles (which carry toasted flavour compounds) to slowly settle, producing naturally clear oil with maximum roasted flavour compound retention. Traditional sesame oil producers in Japan, Korea, and China use extended natural settling as a quality marker. Mechanical filtration (plate filter or centrifuge): faster, less tank space required, but mechanical pressure may release bitter compounds from fine particles, and rapid filtration can remove some desirable flavour-carrying particles. For this Myanmar export plant, the 7-day settling protocol followed by final plate filtration provides optimal balance of clarity, flavour retention, and production efficiency — matching the profile that Thai food industry buyers specify and are willing to pay a premium for.

10 TPD Sesame Oil Plant in Myanmar — Mandalay Dark Toasted Sesame Oil Mill

Project Overview

The Challenge

The Solution

Process Flow

Equipment List

Project Results

Related Case Studies

Frequently Asked Questions

Export-Grade Sesame Oil Plants — Light & Dark Toasted