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The dried ripe fruit is the Chinese star anise of commerce. Chinese star anise fruit and its essential oil are used as flavouring agents in numerous kinds of products: beverages (liqueurs, brandies), chewing gum, baked goods, gelatin, puddings, meat and meat products. In the United States the regulatory status "generally recognized as safe” safe" has been accorded to star anise (GRAS 2095) and star anise oil/oleoresin (GRAS 2096). The maximum permitted level of star anise oil in food products is about 0.07%. The essential oil is also used to scent soap, tobacco and dental cream. In traditional medicine a powder or decoction of the fruits is used to treat abdominal colic, lumbago arising from a deficiency in the kidney, vomiting and epigastric pain due to cold in the stomach and diarrhoea. It also has an antidiarrhoeal effect due to the prevention of intestinal fermentation. The fruit is an oestrogenic agent used to increase milk secretion, promote menstruation, facilitate childbirth, increase libido and alleviate symptoms of male climacteric. The essential oil has stimulant, antiseptic, stomachic, carminative and mildly expectorant properties. It is part of an antitussive formulation and is employed against rheumatism, body lice and bed bugs, but may cause dermatitis in susceptible people. When the essential oil is administered therapeutically as a bronchial expectorant for upper respiratory tract congestion and as gastrointestinal spasmolytic, the permitted mean daily dose is 0.3 g. The oil is used as starting material for the production of synthetic oestrogens (e.g. diethylstilbestrol, diethylstilbestrol dipropionate) and perfumes (e.g. p-panisaldehyde).

In products with anise as the main flavouring principle, overdosage with essential oil of Chinese star anise is difficult. In products where anise is not wanted, or is wanted only as a trace component, overdosage is easily attained. The normal use level of Chinese star anise essential oil is 5-10 mg per 100 g; the minimum perceptible is 0.3-0.6 mg per 100 g. Anethole can be isolated from the oil by freezing. The French "anisette”anisette"-flavoured brandy, a beverage with 43-45% alcoholic and saturated solution of anethole, is very popular. It separates anethole and becomes "cloudy” cloudy" when chilled below room temperature or when water is added.

The ecological requirements of Chinese star anise are not well known. Its main cultivation areas lie in the cooler tropics and subtropics at altitudes up to 2000 m, with average annual temperatures of 12-18°C18 °C, average annual precipitation of 1000-2000 mm and with soils with a pH of about 5.8.

Chinese star anise is propagated by seed. Seeds are collected from vigorous trees, 15-20 years old, and only fully matured, brown seeds are chosen. They rapidly lose their viability and should be sown in a nursery within 3 days of harvest. Soaking the seeds for 6 hours in warm water (35-37°C37 °C) stimulates germination. In the nursery seedlings have to be protected against direct sunlight. After 1-1.5 years the seedlings (at the 4th leaf stage) are transplanted to other nursery beds and set about 25 cm apart. About 3 years later they can be planted out in the field, 5-7 m apart, in well-manured planting holes.

For use as a spice harvested fruits are placed in flat baskets, exposed to the sun for about 10 days and then preserved in a cool dry place. The dried product is then traded on the international spice market. When essential oil is desired, fresh fruits, or occasionally dried ones, are steam-distilled for 48-60 hours. The oil is then stored in airtight containers at temperatures not exceeding 25°C25 °C, protected from light. Crude Chinese star anise oil in the original drums is often very impure, and may contain e.g. water, sand and fruit residues. Filtration and rectification in modern distilleries is then necessary.

*Vu Ngoc Lô