A STUDY OF SEVERAL PARTS OF THE PLANT FOENICULUM VULGARE AS A SOURCE OF COMPOUNDS WITH INDUSTRIAL INTEREST

The yield and composition of the volatile fraction of the pentane extr acts of leaves, stems and seeds of Foeniculum vulgare Mill. have been studied. The yield obtained from seeds was much higher than that obtai ned from leaves and stems. The volatile fraction of the pentane extrac t of the latter two has a higher concentration of terpene hydrocarbons and a smaller concentration of oxygenated terpene hydrocarbons than t hat of the seeds. Sesquiterpenes have been detected in the leaves, as has petroselinic acid in the seeds. Saturated aliphatic hydrocarbons w ith 25 or more carbon atoms have been found in all of the parts. The p entane extract of the leaves also contains the antioxidant vitamin E. These extracts from different parts of fennel show not only the propor tion of their volatile flavour components, but also the concentration of fatty acids and antioxidant compounds (such as vitamin E), if any. Copyright (C) 1996 Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology