Anise

NaturalSPICESspicy · sweet · warm

Seven perfumesOne of them is looking at you

TopPyramid

—Strength

—Tenacity

3Origins

Specimen

Pimpinella anisum

Definition

Anise (Pimpinella anisum), also called aniseed, is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae native to the Eastern Mediterranean and Southwest Asia. The flavor and aroma of its seeds have similarities with some other spices and herbs, such as star anise, fennel, liquorice, and tarragon.

EARTHY SPICY SWEET HERBAL WARM FRESH

aniseed, anix, anise oil, aniseed oil

Type: Ingredient
Olfactive family: Spicy
Subfamily: Warm spices
Cluster: Classic spices
Source: seeds (fruits)
Chemical class: complex natural (essential oil)

Instruments

Pyramid

TTop

HHeart

BBase

Producing countries

Egypt Mexico Spain

Scent

Anethole gives anise its characteristic odor and flavor.

In PREMIEREPEAU

DISCOVERY SET7 × 2 ml →EXTRAIT DE PARFUMThe seven extraits →

The Full Story

The plant

Anise is a herbaceous annual plant. It grows in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, West Asia, the Middle East, Mexico, Egypt, and Spain. The flowers are either white or yellow. The fruit is a dry oblong and curved schizocarp. Anise is grown primarily for its fruits, which are harvested in August and September. Anise plants grow best in light, fertile, well-drained soil. Because the plants have a taproot, they do not transplant well after being established.

Chemistry

Aniseed contains 1.5-5% essential oil. Anethole makes up 80-90% of the oil, and minor components include 4-anisaldehyde, estragole and pseudoisoeugenyl-2-methylbutyrates. Aniseed also holds up to 8-11 mass % of lipids, rich in fatty acids such as palmitic and oleic acids.

Anethole is an organic compound of the phenylpropanoid class. Its formula is C₁₀H₁₂O. Anethole is a colorless, mildly volatile liquid. Anethole melts at 20 to 21 °C and boils at 234 °C. It makes up a large part of the odor and flavor of both anise and fennel. The trans or E isomer is the more abundant one and the one preferred for use. The E isomer has the CAS number 4180-23-8.

Estragole is an isomer of anethole and is a component of anise. The Scientific Committee on Food of the European Commission concluded that estragole has been demonstrated to be genotoxic and carcinogenic.

Anise and star anise

Anethole is found in both anise and star anise (Illicium verum), an unrelated spice indigenous to South China. Star anise belongs to the family Schisandraceae. Star anise is considerably cheaper to produce and has gradually displaced P. anisum in Western markets. In 1999 world production of anise essential oil was 8 tons, against 400 tons of star anise.

Other uses

British builders of steam locomotives put capsules of aniseed oil into white metal plain bearings, so that its distinctive smell would warn of overheating. Anise can be made into a liquid scent used for both drag hunting and fishing. It is put on fishing lures to attract fish. Aniseeds are also used as a digestive and a carminative, and for relief of gastrointestinal spasms.

Explore all seven extraits in the Discovery Set.

—

Related: Allspice · Anethole · Asafoetida · Baking Spices · Bay Leaf · Biryani · Caraway · Carolina Reaper

Did You Know?

Anethole, the main component of anise oil, is responsible for the ouzo effect, also called the louche effect. This is the milky cloudiness that appears when water is added to ouzo, pastis, rakı, arak, sambuca or absinthe. Anethole is highly soluble in ethanol but only slightly soluble in water, so when water is added it leaves the solution as tiny droplets that scatter light and make the drink look white.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method

Anise essential oil is made from the fruits (aniseeds) of Pimpinella anisum by steam distillation or by extraction with supercritical carbon dioxide. Supercritical extraction is more efficient, and the yield is influenced by the growing conditions and the extraction process.

Formula: Complex natural mixture (key constituents: trans-anethole C₁₀H₁₂O; estragole C₁₀H₁₂O; 4-anisaldehyde; pseudoisoeugenyl-2-methylbutyrates)
CAS: 84775-42-8
Botanical: Pimpinella anisum
Synonyms: aniseed, anix, anise oil, aniseed oil

IFRA status

See note

No IFRA Standard for the material itself (51st Amendment)

Physical properties

Boiling point: 232 °C at 760 mmHg
Melting point: 17 °C

In Perfumery

Anise is widely cultivated and serves to flavor food, candy and alcoholic drinks, especially around the Mediterranean. In the food industry, anise serves as a flavoring and aromatic agent for fish products, ice cream, sweets and gums. Anise is used to flavour Greek ouzo, Bulgarian mastika, Italian sambuca, and French absinthe, anisette and pastis. It is also used to flavour Turkish rakı and Lebanese, Egyptian, Syrian, Jordanian, Palestinian and Israeli arak. Anethole, the main component of the oil, is distinctly sweet and measures 13 times sweeter than sugar. It is also used in seasoning and confectionery, in oral hygiene products and, in small quantities, in natural berry flavors. Star anise contains the same compound, and its oil is used in cooking, perfumery, soaps, toothpastes, mouthwashes and skin creams.

Role in the formula

01modifier

02signature note

03lifting agent

04blender

05volume builder

06freshness

Available as

essential oil CO2 extract