Sesame (Sesamum indicum) is a flowering plant in the genus Sesamum. Numerous wild relatives occur in Africa and a smaller number in India. It is widely naturalized in tropical regions around the world and is cultivated for its edible seeds, which grow in pods.
Sesame seeds contain the lignans pinoresinol and lariciresinol. Sesame is used as a food plant by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species, including the Turnip Moth.
Sesame has one of the highest oil content of any seed. With a rich nutty flavor, it is a common ingredient in cuisines across the world. Sesame, like other nuts and foods, triggers allergy reactions in some people. The world harvested about 3.84 million metric tonnes of Sesame seeds in 2010. The largest producer of Sesame seeds in 2010 was Myanmar. The world's largest exporter of sesame seeds was India, while Japan the largest importer.