Characteristics of fatty acids and essential oil from sweet fennel (Foeniculum vulgareMill. var.dulce) and bitter fennel fruits (F. vulgareMill. var.vulgare) growing in Turkey

Abstract

Oil content in sweet and bitter fennels was obtained 12.22% and 14.41%, respectively. The C(18:1 c6), C(18:2), C(18:1 c9) and C(16:0) acids corresponding to approximately 97% of total oil was recorded as principal fatty acids. The ratios of essential oil from sweet and bitter fennels were found similar (average 3.00%). trans-Anethole, estragole and fenchone were found to be the main constituents in both fennels. The compound with the highest value in the two oil samples was trans-anethole as 95.25% (sweet) and 75.13% (bitter). While estragole was found in bitter fennel oil in a remarkable amount (15.51%), sweet fennel oil contained small amounts of estragole (2.87%). Fenchone was found <1% in sweet and approximately 5% in bitter fennel. p-Anisaldehyde in bitter fennel essential oil, and alpha-pinene and gamma-terpinene in sweet fennel essential oil were not recorded, and these compounds were found very low or <1%.

Simultaneous Determination of Essential Oil Components and Fatty Acids in Fennel using Gas Chromatography with a Polar Capillary Column

“…According to the European Pharmacopoeia [23], the minimal specified value for the content of essential oil in sweet fennel is 2.0 mL/100 g anhydrous drug with a minimum 80.0% trans-anethole, a maximum of 10.0% estragole and a maximum of 7.5% fenchone. There are many published data for the essential oil content with values in the range from 2.0 -4.0 mL/100 g anhydrous drug with high content of trans-anethole and low content of estragole and fenchone [11,14,24,27,30]. On the other hand, the European Pharmacopoeia specifies 4.0 mL/100 g as a minimal value of the content of bitter fennel essential oil, with 55.0 -75.0% trans-anethole, 12.0 -25.0% fenchone and a maximum 6.0% estragole.…”

“…Separately, the chemical composition of the essential oil and the fixed oil of fennel have been previously studied [27], but no procedures for simultaneous determination of the composition of both oils have been developed. Also, the identification/classification of the fennel was not related to the fatty acid composition.…”

Essential Oils Chemistry

“…stoechas (Tzakou et al 2006), and bitter and sweet fennel -Foeniculum vulgare (Coşge et al 2008) oils. It has a camphoraceous odor and is used to prepare artificial fennel oils and in technical perfumery (Bauer and Garbe 2001).…”

Mineral Composition, Physico-chemical Properties and Fatty Acids Profile of Prunus armeniaca Apricot Seed Oil

“…The apricot kernel oil has approximately the same ratio of saturated to unsaturated fatty acid as edible oils such as canola oil, corn oil, linseed oil, safflower oil and almond oil. Owing to these chemical properties, the apricot kernel oil may be a good replacement for olive oil in industrial, cosmetic and food applications [27][28][29][30][31]. The apricot kernel oil also has almost the same mineral composition as the conventional seed oils from other plant sources.…”