Hulled sesame seeds 99.95% means that by weight 99.95% of the lot is hulled sesame and no more than 0.05% is foreign matter, hulls or other seeds. Peanuts 50/60 count means that an ounce, about 28 grams, holds 50 to 60 kernels. Java peanuts 80/90 means 80 to 90 kernels per ounce, which makes them smaller.
One number describes cleanliness and the other describes size. They are not interchangeable, and neither says anything about aflatoxin, moisture or taste.
What does 99.95% purity on hulled sesame cover?
Hulled sesame has had its outer coat removed by soaking and rubbing, then it is washed, dried and colour-sorted. A figure like 99.95% is only reachable with an electronic colour sorter, because the remaining defects are single dark or unhulled seeds.
Ask what the figure counts. Some suppliers count only foreign matter, others also count unhulled and discoloured seed. The difference matters more than the digits. Add moisture, oil content, free fatty acids and a microbiological limit to the specification. Natural versus hulled sesame explains the two types.
How are peanut counts defined?
Counts are for blanched or split-free kernels sold by size. A lower count means a larger kernel, because fewer fit into an ounce. A 40/50 kernel is larger than a 60/70, and 80/90 is among the smaller commercial sizes.
Suppliers hold a range, not a single size. Ask for the share allowed outside the stated range. Counts like 40/50, 50/60 and 60/70 shows the usual grid.
What are java peanuts?
Java peanuts are a round, smaller-kernelled type with a thin red skin, grown mostly for the confectionery and snack trade. Bold peanuts are larger and more oval. Both are graded by count, but the counts are on different scales, so a java 80/90 and a bold 80/90 are not the same size. See the difference between java and bold peanuts.
For a buyer, the type should be named in the contract with the count, so the supplier cannot swap one for the other.
What other tests belong beside purity and count?
For both products, the figures that decide whether a lot clears your border are not on the grade sheet:
- Aflatoxin, particularly for peanuts and increasingly for sesame, tested on a representative sample and compared with your market's limit.
- Salmonella, which is a recurring concern for sesame and must be absent in the stated sample size.
- Moisture and oil quality, which affect how long the goods keep.
- Pesticide residues against your destination rules, which you should confirm with your importer or the regulator.
How do you write it into the order?
State the type, the purity or count, the tolerance outside it, the test methods and the sampling plan. Ask for a sealed pre-shipment sample. Cost follows crop, grade, sorting and testing, and a quote needs the full spec. Related reading is sesame and groundnut processors.
How should you sample the lot?
For both products, sampling matters as much as the test. Sesame and peanuts are bulk goods in which a few bad seeds or kernels can carry most of the contamination, so a small, hand-picked sample proves little. Ask the inspector to draw several increments across the whole lot, mix them, and divide the mix into sealed samples for the supplier, the lab and you.
Next step
If you want a sesame or peanut specification written and checked against real lots, book a free sourcing review. We have the lots tested before they ship.