Source and Distribution of Fennel:
Fennel consists of the dried ripe fruits of the plant, Foeniculum vulgare, of the family Umbelliferae. They are called as fennel fruits or fructus foeniculum.
Fennel is indigenous to mediterranean countries such as Romansia, Germany, Russia, France, India and Japan. In India cultivation is carried out in Gujarat, Punjab, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
Fennel seeds (Foeniculum vulgare) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Chemical constituents of Fennel:
Fennel consists of volatile oil, fixed oil and proteins. The main ingredient of the volatile oil is fenchone which is a ketone and anethole, which is phenolic ether. The other constituents are phellandrene, methyl chavicol, limonene, anisic aldehyde. Fenchone is colourless pungent liquid with aromatic smell. Anethole is sweet in odour and taste. The oil is pale yellow liquid.
Properties and Uses of Fennel :
- Carminative
- Aromatic
- Stimulant
- Expectorant
- Flavouring agent in pharmaceuticals
Adulteration of Fennel :
Fennel is adulterated with the exhausted fennel fruits. This can be detected by the following tests 1. When the volatile oil is removed from the fruits by using alcohol, they have a typical odour of fusel oil. They do not contain fenchone. 2. If the volatile oil is extracted by using steam, they appear greenish brown in colour and sink in water.
Substitutes of Fennel :
Variety – Taste
- Saxony – aromatic
- Russia or Rumanian – camphoraceous
- French sweet or Roman – Sweet
- Indian – Camphoraceous
- Japanese – Very sweet
Synonyms of Fennel :
- Bengali – Ban mauri
- Gujrati – Variyali
- Hindi – Variyali
- Kannada – Bada soppa
- Malayalam – Sambu
- Marathi – Badishep
- Sanskrit – Madhurika
- Tamil – Sohikerovirai
- Telugu – Paddejilakurra
- Punjabi – Sonf
- Oriyan – Maduri
- German – Echter fenchel
- French – Fenovil
- Italian – Finocchio
