Recently, processed foods have become an important part of human eating habits. However, several processing techniques, such as dehulling and roasting, are applied to raw foods. Roasting is a thermal process that depends on temperature and time and improves the extraction yield of oil by generating pores in the oilseed cell walls. Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) is an annual plant belonging to Pedaliaceae and is considered to be one of the oldest oil crops. Nowadays, the cultivation of this plant is economically important in several countries. This review clarifies the botanical characteristics and nutritional importance of sesame seeds, reviews their phytochemical composition, and discusses the effects of dehulling and roasting on their nutritional quality. S. indicum, which is known to contain several classes of bioactive compounds, including fatty acids, phenolic compounds, amino acids, and lignans, has been reported to possess a wide range of biological activities such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antimicrobial, and cardioprotective activity; however, processing such as dehulling eliminates undesirable chemical constituents while roasting provides the best chemical composition at moderate temperatures.

Anise, or Pimpinella anisum , has a long history of usage in traditional and alternative medicine, as well as in the pharmaceutical sector . The species is native to Southwest Asia, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean region. The current studies have revealed that wild and cultivated P. anisum are rich in bioactive compounds, such as phenols, tannins, carotenoids, and fatty acids. Different parts of P. anisum plant are used treatment of diseases, the treatment of pathogens for antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal purposes, and cosmetics. In this paper, we reviewed the current knowledge on geographical distribution, cultivation, chemical compounds, extraction methods, and agronomic and medicinal uses of Pimpinella anisum . Equally, we suggested guidelines for future research to fill the gap in less investigated issues. Data for this paper was gathered via electronic literature search on Google, Google Scholar, and databases counting, Science Direct, Scopus, Springer, PubMed, and Hindawi, from 1930 to 2022. Analyzed data show that Pimpinella anisum is currently recorded from Portugal on the Atlantic Ocean in the west to China in the East. With new extraction methods, such as Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction, scientists have explored the higher quantities of polyphenols, flavonoids, and antioxidants, and revealed new constituents such as trans-anethole and estragole found in essential oil fruits by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS). These compounds showed significant therapeutic benefits against diseases, pathogens, and cosmetic roles. However, with the current impacts of climate change on natural vegetation cover, more investigations are needed to understand how these affect the geographical distribution, metabolic aspects, and chemical properties of Pimpinella anisum. These are suggested to increase the value of the species and ensure its conservation.

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