Description
Star Anise Oil is a food-grade essential oil obtained by steam distillation of the dried fruit of Illicium verum, the Chinese star anise tree. The oil delivers the sweet, licorice-like anise aroma associated with pastis, ouzo, sambuca, and a wide range of confectionery and bakery applications, driven by trans-anethole at very high concentration.
Pale yellow mobile liquid that solidifies on cooling below 15 °C due to high anethole content. Strong, sweet, licorice-like aroma. Miscible with ethanol and most fixed oils; insoluble in water. trans-Anethole content typically ranges from 85 to 93 percent.
We supply food-grade Star Anise Oil from manufacturers in China holding ISO, Halal, Kosher and other certifications relevant to the product and production. China is the dominant origin globally and the primary commercial source for this oil.
Common market grades include Standard Food Grade (88% anethole), Premium Grade (90% anethole), and Pharmaceutical Grade meeting EP and USP specifications. Both star anise oil and chemically interchangeable European anise seed oil (Pimpinella anisum) are available.
Bulk and reduced-MOQ shipments. Batch-level COA covering specific gravity, refractive index, optical rotation, anethole content by GC, congealing point, heavy metals, and microbiology.
Introduction
Illicium verum is an evergreen tree native to southern China and northern Vietnam, with commercial cultivation concentrated in Guangxi province. China supplies the dominant share of global star anise and star anise oil. Japanese star anise (Illicium anisatum) is botanically distinct, toxic, and must not be substituted in food applications.
Production proceeds by steam distillation of dried fruit, yielding approximately 8 to 12 percent essential oil. The crude oil is typically used directly or rectified to standardize anethole content for the target food-grade specification.
Regulated as Generally Recognized as Safe by the U.S. FDA (21 CFR 182.20), assigned FEMA GRAS number 2096, listed in USP, EP, and BP pharmacopoeias, and approved by JECFA as a flavoring agent.
Principal aroma compounds are trans-anethole (85 to 93 percent), with estragole (methyl chavicol), limonene, and anisaldehyde as minor constituents. Estragole content is the principal regulatory marker, with European limits applying to estragole exposure in finished products. The cis-anethole isomer is sensorially undesirable and naturally trace.
Strategic positioning sits at the intersection of beverage alcohol flavor, Asian culinary spice systems, and industrial anethole supply for fragrance synthesis. Star anise gained additional commercial importance during the late 2000s as a source of shikimic acid for oseltamivir production.
Where it is used
- Anise-flavored alcoholic beverages: pastis, ouzo, sambuca, raki, and arak
- Confectionery: anise hard candies, lozenges, and licorice products
- Bakery: anise cookies, biscotti, breads, and seasonal baked goods
- Chinese five-spice powder and Asian braising spice blends
- Vietnamese pho broth and Southeast Asian soup seasoning systems
- Pharmaceutical syrups and chewable tablets for flavor masking
- Source of natural anethole for industrial flavor and fragrance synthesis
- Source of shikimic acid, a key precursor in oseltamivir (Tamiflu) manufacture
- Cosmetics and aromatherapy: toothpaste, mouthwash, and warming blends
Technical data
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Pale yellow mobile liquid (solidifies below 15 °C) |
| Specific gravity (20 °C) | 0.978 to 0.988 |
| Refractive index (20 °C) | 1.553 to 1.560 |
| Optical rotation (20 °C) | −2° to +1° |
| trans-Anethole content (GC) | 85.0% to 93.0% |
| Estragole content (GC) | ≤ 5.0% |
| Congealing point | 15 °C to 19 °C |
| Solubility in 90% ethanol | 1 vol in 3 vol clear solution |
| Heavy metals (as Pb) | ≤ 10 mg/kg |
| Arsenic | ≤ 3 mg/kg |
| Source | Steam distillation of Illicium verum dried fruit |
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