The consensus seems to be that toasted (black) sesame seeds taste better than their raw counterpart.
But what happens to the improved flavour when those toasted sesame seeds cool down or get refrigerated and consumed without being reheated/re-toasted? Is that improved flavour retained? And would microwaving cooled-down toasted sesame seeds make any improvements to flavour?
Toasting a grain causes the color to change due to Maillard reactions. These are chemical reactions between sugars and amino acids that occur in high heat. When the grain cools down, those newly formed chemicals are still present so the flavor will still be different. However, when something is warm, aroma molecules are more volatile, and it is easier to smell them. This is why cold toast still tastes "toasty" but not as good as warm toast.
