1000L HTE Fully Automated Aerosol Extraction System
An industrial-scale aerosol extraction system for very high-volume, room-temperature, residue-free processing of any botanical.
COMERG • Fennel extraction
Foeniculum vulgare L.
Turn fennel seed into a high-strength, food-grade extract with COMERG equipment. Our cold, room-temperature, low-pressure process captures the sweet anise lift of the seed, the anethole that fennel shares with anise and star anise, kept fresh by working without heat.
The spice
Fennel is the dried fruit of Foeniculum vulgare, a ribbed green-gold seed with a clean, sweet, licorice-like aroma. That signature comes from anethole, the same naturally sweet compound that defines anise and star anise, lifted by a cooler, herbaceous note from fenchone.
The seeds are milled and processed cold, so the finished extract carries the full sweetness of the spice. Nothing is added, and the natural balance of anethole and its supporting compounds is preserved.
The extract
Run on COMERG equipment, fennel seed yields a standardised, high-strength extract, batch after batch. Because the extraction is cold and solvent-light, with no high heat, the sweet anise top note carries straight through to the finished oil. The figures below are typical of a standardised BFen-90.1 grade.
The method
No heat, no leftover solvent. This is what happens inside a COMERG aerosol system, and why the extract keeps the full fennel character.
Non-toxic liquefied R134a gas is introduced to the milled fennel seed at controlled, low pressure. There is no heat, the cycle begins and stays at room temperature.
The liquid gas gently dissolves the anethole, fenchone and the supporting terpenes, while the sweet, heat-sensitive top notes stay structurally intact.
The R134a is fully recovered and recycled in a closed loop. What is left is a concentrated fennel extract, at least 90% volatile oil, with under 0.1 g/kg residue.
Aromatic profile
Principal constituents identified by GC-MS, each above 1%. Anethole dominates the profile and carries the sweet anise character, with fenchone adding the cooler, herbaceous edge.
Other extractables present. Per-batch GC-MS report available on request.
Specification
Why fennel, why cold
Foeniculum vulgare, Bulgaria
Versus steam distillation
Applications
The extract can be taken concentrated or diluted in a carrier oil to suit the application. Typical filling rates for the concentrated extract in food are 1 to 5 mg per kilogram of product.
Why the COMERG line
The sweetness above is not an accident of the seed alone, it is what the right equipment makes repeatable. Our line is engineered around the things that matter when you process a top-note-rich spice.
Why it wins
Against steam distillation, solvent and CO2, cold R134a extraction keeps more of the fennel, with a clean, sweet, high-strength result.
| Feature | COMERG R134a | Steam distillation | Solvent | CO₂ supercritical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Process temperature | < 25 °C (room temp) | 100-150 °C | 40-70 °C | 31-80 °C |
| Aromatic preservation | 95%+ | 60-75% | ~85% | ~80% |
| Compound recovery | up to 97% | 70-85% | 80-90% | 85-92% |
| Anethole | Concentrated | Retained, some loss | Retained | Mostly retained |
| Solvent residue | < 0.1 g/kg | None | Needs post-purge | None |
| Energy use | 85% less vs solvent | High | Medium-high | Very high |
| Special facility | Not required | Not required | Required | High-pressure safety |
From seed to extract
A complete COMERG line takes fennel from raw seed to a finished extract. These are the core stages, each available as standalone equipment.
The heart of the line. Liquefied-gas systems that pull fennel oil cold, below 25 °C, from 10 l pilot units up to 2000 l.
Room temp • 97% recoveryCleans and separates the seed from stalk and debris before milling, so only the aromatic seed reaches the extractor.
Prep stageFrom a 10 l pilot system to industrial 2000 l lines, the same cold process scales with your volume.
10 l - 2000 lQuestions
A 100% natural fennel seed extract, product code BFen-90.1. It reaches at least 90% volatile oil, led by around 68% anethole, with no additives.
Liquefied food-grade gas extraction at room temperature, below 25 °C, and low pressure. Because there is no high heat, the delicate aromatic compounds are preserved and solvent residue stays below 0.1 g/kg.
Fennel's sweetness lives in anethole and a set of bright top notes that can be dulled by prolonged heat. Cold R134a extraction concentrates them cleanly so the extract stays close to the fresh seed.
Roughly 1 kg of extract represents around 25 to 30 kg of dried, milled fennel seed.
Yes. The same cold process runs from a 10 l pilot unit to 2000 l production systems, so you can start small and grow without changing method.
It is produced with a food-grade solvent per Directive 97/60/EC. It is a raw material for formulation, not intended for direct consumption or undiluted topical use, and users are responsible for compliance with applicable legislation.
Yes. A per-batch GC-MS analysis is available on request, and a Safety Data Sheet per 2006/1907/EC is supplied with the product.
Tell us your throughput and target product. We will recommend the right system, share a yield estimate for your fennel seed, and reply with pricing and lead time, usually within 48 hours.
COMERG extracts are raw materials for product formulation. They are not intended for direct consumption or for undiluted topical application in cosmetics, perfumery or aromatherapy. This information is provided to the best of our knowledge and is not a substitute for prior testing of suitability for the intended use. Keep away from children.
The fennel line
The machines below make up the fennel line, the equipment that takes the seed through to a finished extract. Request a quote on any unit and we will reply with pricing and lead time.
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