be distributed
Illicium verum is native to the natural forest and miscellaneous trees in western Guangxi, China, with few fruits and poor quality. Artificial cultivation began around 1940. Debao, Shangsi, Longjin, Baise and Cangwu in Guangxi have become the main producing areas of star anise oil, accounting for about 80% of the total national output. Guangdong, Guizhou, Yunnan and other provinces also have production. 1985 the output reached 500 tons and the export was about 300 tons.
nature
Star anise oil mainly contains anethole, accounting for more than 80% of the total oil. It also contains a small amount of d- and β-pinene, △ 3-carene, α-and β-phellandrene, p-isopropyltoluene, cineole, 1- limonene, terpinene, 1, 8- terpinediol, camphene, myrcene, p-propenyl anisole, methyl -4- isopropyl benzene, α-terpineol, 1- linalool, terpinene-1- alcohol -4, monomethyl ether and monoethyl ether of hydroquinone, safrole and anisone.
Star anise oil is slightly sticky, the high-quality product is grayish white, followed by light yellow, and the reddish product is impure. It is a flowing liquid above 20℃ and will solidify when the temperature drops. The freezing point of super star anise oil is 18℃, and the content of anethole is higher than 90%. The freezing point of superior products is17℃; Excellent grade is16℃; The general grade is 15℃, and the content of anethole is ≥80%. The storage time of star anise oil is too long, the content of anethole decreases, the content of allyl anisole increases, and the quality of the oil deteriorates.
process
Illicium verum fruit is harvested twice a year. The first time is from August to September of that year, which is the main harvest period. The fruit is fat, hard and red, which is called big fruit or big red fruit with high yield. The fruit was picked for the second time in February-March of the following year, which was called Siji Fruit. The fruit was thin and soft, with low yield. Each plant can produce 50 ~100 kg of fruit twice a year. After harvesting, the fruit needs to be dried or baked. The color of the dried fruit is brighter and more beautiful than that of the roasted dried fruit. Every 100 kg of fresh fruit can get 25 ~ 30 kg of dried fruit. When processing, steam oil is used. The fruit should be crushed before distillation. The steaming time is about 30 ~ 40 hours, and the oil yield is about 5%, which can reach more than 10%. The obtained oil is called crude oil and needs to be re-steamed. The yield of re-steamed essential oil is not less than 86%. Star anise oil should be packed in a container made of glass or tin, and stored in a dark place with a temperature of 5 ~ 25℃ and a relative humidity of no more than 70%. Adding 0.0 1% butyl hydroxytoluene can make the oil more stable.
The requirements of international and China Pharmacopoeia on the quality of star anise oil are shown in the table.
use
Star anise oil can be used as flavoring agent for food, candy, wine, toothpaste, tooth powder, soap, cosmetics, etc., and as raw material for synthesizing estrogen hexestrol. Anisodic aldehyde can be produced by oxidation of star anise oil, which can be further processed into a new perfume anisidine.