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EFFECT OF HARVEST YEARS ON CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF ESSENTIAL OILS OF BITTER FENNEL ( FOENICULUM VULGARE MILL. SUBSP. PIPERITUM ) FRUITS
Author(s) -
FIGUEREDO G.,
ÖZCAN M.M.,
CHALCHAT J.C.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of food biochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.507
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1745-4514
pISSN - 0145-8884
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-4514.2010.00446.x
Subject(s) - foeniculum , estragole , limonene , essential oil , anethole , chemistry , apiaceae , composition (language) , chemical composition , horticulture , food science , botany , biology , linguistics , philosophy , organic chemistry
Essential oil contents on a dry weight basis of ripe fruits of bitter fennel collected in different years were 5.1%, 4.8%, 4.6%, 7.0%, 6.5%, 4.7%, 3.8% and 4.0%, respectively. By GC and GC‐MS analysis, the main identified components representing 99.59%, 94.74%, 99.62%, 99.35%, 99.63%, 99.58%, 98.07% and 99.68% of the oils were limonene (3.87–17.63%), fenchone (13.82% to 29.17%) and estragole (25.14% to 65.45%). But, trans ‐anethole contents of fruit harvested in 2006 was found very high (44.60%) when compared with oil components of other years. At the same time, α‐phellandrene contents of samples harvested in 2005 and 2008 years were found higher than the results of other years. As a result, the chemical composition of oils showed differences according to harvest years.PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Several usages of this plant are known for culinary purposes. Its fresh and dry leaves and fruits are used as a flavoring agent for some foods such as salad, cacik and yoghurt soup. Plants of this genus have long been applied in folk medicine as a weak diuretic, carminative and a mild stimulant, a muscle relaxant. Bitter fennel contains a fragrant oil and other aromatic substances that are widely used in cooking.