Abstract:

Volatile oil was extracted from star anise seeds or shell using hexane with the aid of microwave. The optimal extraction process determined using orthogonal array design was based on 640 W microwave treatment for 5 min with a material/liquid ratio of 1:1.5. Compared with traditional extraction methods, microwave-assisted n-hexane extraction had characteristics of high efficiency, fast speed and energy-saving. Meanwhile, the analysis of fatty acids in anise seed oil revealed similar compositions with commercially available vegetable oil. Therefore, refined anise seed oil was qualified to be edible according to requirements for human consumption. Furthermore, fatty acids in anise seed shell oil were relatively lower than other edible oils, which made it as an excellent material for fragrance and flavor ingredients.

Key words: volatile oil from anise, microwave-assisted extraction, fatty acid, edibility analysis