5L Fully Automated Compound Remediation System
A bench-scale system that refines a finished botanical extract, selectively removing unwanted constituents at room temperature while preserving the aromatics and actives.
COMERG • Fennel extraction
Sweet Fennel
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.
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68% anethole
The spice
The sweet anise seed
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.
Raw material
Botanical nameFoeniculum vulgare L.
FamilyApiaceae
Plant partFruits (seed)
ConditionDried, ground
OriginBulgaria
AvailabilityAll year
The extract
What the process delivers
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.
≥90%Volatile oil v/w
68%Anethole
18%Fenchone
<25 °CExtraction temp
97%Compound recovery
~28 kgSeed per kg extract
The method
Cold extraction, in three steps
No heat, no leftover solvent. This is what happens inside a COMERG aerosol system, and why the extract keeps the full fennel character.
1
Pressurised R134a flooding
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.
2
Selective aromatic dissolution
The liquid gas gently dissolves the anethole, fenchone and the supporting terpenes, while the sweet, heat-sensitive top notes stay structurally intact.
3
Recovery and pure extract
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
The compound fingerprint
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.
0%30%50%70%+
Other extractables present. Per-batch GC-MS report available on request.
Specification
BFen-90.1 at a glance
Identity & origin
Botanical nameFoeniculum vulgare L.
Plant partFruits (seed)
OriginBulgaria
Product codeBFen-90.1
CAS No.84625-39-8
EINECS No.283-414-6
Production
MethodLiquefied-gas extraction
TemperatureBelow 25 °C
SolventFood-grade (Dir. 97/60/EC)
Solvent residue< 0.1 g/kg
StandardisationDeclared volatile oil
Concentration1 kg ≈ 25-30 kg seed
Physical
AppearanceGreen clear oily liquid
Volatile oil≥ 90% v/w (ASTA)
INCI nameFoeniculum Vulgare Fruit Extract
Density975 g/l
Refractive index1.5249
Acid value3.9 mg KOH/g
Solubility & output
In oilsFully soluble
In 40% alcoholPartial
In waterInsoluble
Flash point> 61 °C
ContainerLined aluminium bottle
Shelf life2 years
Why fennel, why cold
A sweet seed, captured whole
A concentrated seed
Foeniculum vulgare, Bulgaria
Plant partSeed, milled
Seed per kg extract~25-30 kg
Volatile oil≥ 90% v/w
AntioxidantDPPH IC50 6.03 mg/ml
Captured cold
Versus steam distillation
Anethole68% retained
Fenchone18%
Process temperature< 25 °C
Top notesPreserved
Applications
What you can make
Food & flavour
Beverages & liqueurs
Bakery & confectionery
Fine perfumery
Oral care
Cosmetics
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
Built for sweet spice like fennel
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.
Room temperatureR134a aerosol extraction works cold and at low pressure, so the sweet anise top notes are never cooked off.
Keeps the anetholeAnethole carries almost the entire fennel character. Cold extraction concentrates it cleanly into the extract.
Fully automatedClosed-loop systems run the cycle for you, so results stay consistent and one operator can handle the line.
Fast cycles, high yieldLow-pressure extraction is quick and recovers up to 97% of the seed's compounds, more than older high-pressure CO2 lines.
Scales with youFrom a 10 l pilot unit to 2000 l production, the same method grows from R&D batches to full output.
Clean and economicalIt uses around 85% less energy than solvent methods and needs no special hazardous-location facility.
Why it wins
Compared to the alternatives
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
The machines for fennel
A complete COMERG line takes fennel from raw seed to a finished extract. These are the core stages, each available as standalone equipment.
Aerosol extraction
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% recoveryView system
Seed separation
Cleans and separates the seed from stalk and debris before milling, so only the aromatic seed reaches the extractor.
Prep stageView machine
The complete spice line
From a 10 l pilot system to industrial 2000 l lines, the same cold process scales with your volume.
10 l - 2000 lBrowse all equipment
Product specificationFull composition, properties, packaging and handling for fennel extract BFen-90.1.
Download PDF
Questions
Fennel extraction, explained
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.
Set up your fennel line
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
Equipment for processing fennel
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.
Showing 17–26 of 26 results
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Stick & Seed Separation System
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