Is sesame oil vegan?

Sesame oil is an edible vegetable oil derived from the seeds of the sesame plant, Sesamum indicum. It is produced by pressing either raw or toasted sesame seeds to extract the liquid oil, which is then filtered or refined. Toasted sesame oil is widely used as a flavoring agent and finishing oil, while unrefined or refined light sesame oil is frequently used for cooking. It commonly appears on ingredient lists for stir-fry sauces, marinades, salad dressings, frozen prepared meals, noodle dishes, and snack foods.

This ingredient is considered vegan because it is entirely of plant origin. The production process involves mechanical pressing, expeller extraction, or solvent extraction of the harvested seeds, followed by standard filtration. None of these processing steps require the use of animal-derived processing aids or animal byproducts. Because sesame oil is sourced exclusively from sesame seeds and contains no animal substances, it is suitable for a vegan diet.