Qixian Small Stone Mill Sesame Oil

Qixian Small Stone Mill Sesame Oil

　　Qixian Small Stone Mill Sesame Oil is a specialty of Qixian County, Jinzhong City, Shanxi Province. It contains vitamin E, which helps prevent aging, and has excellent effects on improving blood circulation and promoting metabolism. Linoleic acid helps regulate cholesterol levels. This product has a mild nature and sweet taste, and regular consumption can help treat various ailments. It has been honored as a Famous and High-Quality Specialty of Shanxi Province and a Quality-Assured Product.

　　“Sesame oil, sesame oil, fragrant and fine; oil so sweet, it’s simply divine.” These words praise Qixian Small Stone Mill Sesame Oil. With a long history, the oil dates back to the Song Dynasty when sesame was introduced and planted locally, leading to the production of sesame oil made from small stone mills. To this day, traditional crafting methods are used, preserving the signature “drop of fragrance” style of the oil.

　　Qixian Small Stone Mill Sesame Oil represents a unique oil-making method in China. The process involves adding 90-degree water to ground sesame paste, causing non-oil substances to absorb moisture and expand, thereby squeezing out the oil. This method has been practiced in China for over a thousand years. However, from roasting and grinding to milling and mixing with water, every step relies on experience and manual skill, with technical expertise determining both oil yield and aroma intensity. Typically, a worker can only produce about 100 jin (50 kg) of oil per day. Due to simple equipment that doesn’t fully meet craft requirements, production efficiency remains low.

　　Sesame oil contains a relatively high amount of unsaponifiables, generally ranging from 0.9% to 1.7%, the most important of which is sesamin. When heated, sesamin can hydrolyze into sesamol. Sesamol gives off a distinctive aroma. In contrast, sesame oil extracted by pressing does not undergo high-temperature hydrolysis, so the sesamol is not formed and the oil lacks significant aroma. As a result, although both are made from sesame, oil extracted by pressing is called sesame oil, while that made by the water displacement method is called small stone mill sesame oil. The aroma of small stone mill sesame oil stimulates appetite and aids in food digestion and absorption.

　　The traditional production technique of Qixian Small Stone Mill Sesame Oil is a traditional handicraft skill applied for cultural heritage status by Qixian County, Jinzhong City, Shanxi Province in 2006.