Knowde Enhanced TDS
Identification & Functionality
- Ingredient Name
- Ingredient Origin
- Food Ingredients Functions
- Starting Raw Material
- Dried Fruit
- Botanical Name
- Ilicium Verum Hook. Fil.
- Botanical family
- Iliciaceae
- FEMA Number
- 2096.0
- Ingredients
- Star-Anise
- Technologies
- Product Families
- Main Origins
China, Vietnamt
Features & Benefits
- Labeling Claims
- Food Ingredients Features
- Product Highlights
Its sweet leaves were famous in China 4,000 years BC as a masticatory and religious perfume. It appears in Europe in the 16th century where it became a rare and expensive condiment imported by Russia under the names of "Cardamom from China", "Fennel from China" or "Anise from Siberia".
Nowadays, this species is used mainly in the production of natural Anethol (usually by fractional distillation) which is an important ingredient in the liquor, bakery and oral hygiene markets. The crude oil is used mainly in phyto-aromatherapy.
Star Anise is a well-known spice used against colic (it is typical to use a tablespoon of "pastis" to stop the "tourist colic"). It is also the industrial source of Shikimic acid, used to create the anti-flu drug called "Tamiflu", which is active against the avian flu.
The oil is a colorless or light yellow liquid that sometimes crystallizes at low temperatures (due to the melting point of Anethol). Because of its lower cost, this oil has replaced Pimpinella Anisum in several applications. However, its harsh topnotes hinder its use in flavors and the oil needs to be purified, removing the terpenes partially or completely.
Applications & Uses
- Markets
- Applications
- Food & Nutrition Applications
- Uses
Mainly in the flavor industry and aromatherapy (digestive, antispasmodic, antimicrobial and carminative).
Properties
- Physical Form
Regulatory & Compliance
- Certifications & Compliance
- Regulation
- Monographs: ISO 11016, European Pharmacopeia, FCC.
- IFRA: Permitted (Restricted constituents: Estragole and Safrole as carcinogens)
- Cosmetic Allergens: Limonene, Linalool.
- Safety summary: The recommendation is a dermal maximum of 1.75% and a daily oral maximum of 53 mg based on Estragole and Safrole content
Technical Details & Test Data
- Chemical Profile & Chemotypes
The two main origins are China and Vietnam and they produce the same chemotype, with the following characteristic compounds:
- Trans-Anethol: 86% - 93%
- Cis-Anethol: 0.1% - 0.5%
- Limonene: 0.2% - 6%
- Estragole: 0.5% - 6%
- Anisaldehyde: 0.1% - 0.5%
- Trans-Alpha Bergamotene: 0.06% - 0.6%
- Foeniculine: 0.1% - 3%
Prone to oxidation, we have to exhaustively control storage conditions, avoiding light and air because Trans-Anethol can transform to Anisaldehyde and to Anise Ketone.
Cis-Anethol is more toxic than Trans-Anethol, and its maximum level has to be controlled.
It is important not to confuse "Illicium verum" with Japanese Star Anise oil "Ilicium anisatum" (Shikimi fruit) which contains a toxic lactone: Anisatin.
Depending on the price and market availability, natural Anethol and crude Star Anise oil can be adulterated with synthetic Anethol