About
What it is and where it shows up.
Fennel powder is obtained by grinding the dried ripe fruits (seeds) of Foeniculum vulgare P. Miller var. Vulgare; it is widely used as a spice and flavouring agent in foods such as bread, cheese, liqueurs, and cuisines across Europe and Asia. It imparts a characteristic sweet, anise-like aroma and taste derived primarily from trans-anethole, fenchone, and minor quantities of estragole.
Safety summary
The regulatory and scientific consensus.
Fennel powder is generally well tolerated by adults at culinary doses, and fennel oil holds GRAS status with the U.S. FDA. However, it naturally contains estragole, a constituent identified as a genotoxic carcinogen at elevated doses, prompting an active EFSA safety assessment for concentrated fennel fruit preparations. The EMA does not recommend fennel fruit preparations for pregnant or lactating women, nor fennel infusions for children under 4 years, citing limited data on adverse effects in these populations.
Regulatory landscape
What food-safety regulators have decided.
| Jurisdiction | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union) | Approved | Fennel is permitted as a spice and flavouring ingredient under EU Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008 on flavourings. That same Regulation prohibits the deliberate addition of pure estragole to foods and sets maximum residue levels for estragole naturally present via flavouring ingredients in compound foods. EFSA is conducting an active safety assessment of fennel fruit preparations (particularly in food supplements) requested by the European Commission, triggered by German BfR concerns about estragole as a genotoxic carcinogen in products consumed by infants and young children. A draft EFSA Scientific Opinion was published for public consultation in July 2025. A guidance value of 0.05 mg estragole/day for adults and 1 µg/kg bw/day for children has been suggested pending full opinion.source |
| FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India) | Approved | Fennel (Saunf) powder is standardised under Section 2.9.9 of the FSS (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, Chapter 2. Quality criteria: moisture ≤12% by weight; total ash (dry basis) ≤9% by weight; ash insoluble in dilute HCl (dry basis) ≤2% by weight; volatile oil content (dry basis) ≥1.0% v/w. The powder must be free from added colouring matter, mould, living and dead insects, insect fragments, rodent contamination, and any harmful substance.source |
| FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States) | Approved | Fennel seed is formally defined as a GRAS spice under FDA CPG Sec 525.750 (the clean, dried ripe fruit of Foeniculum vulgare Mill.). Fennel sweet oil and fennel seed oil are additionally listed as GRAS flavouring substances under 21 CFR 182.10 and 182.20. No numeric ADI or maximum daily intake is established for culinary spice use. |
Who should approach with care
Whose guidance would steer them away.
Pregnancy — EMA's Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products does not recommend fennel fruit preparations during pregnancy due to limited data on adverse effects and the presence of estragole, a genotoxic compound.
Lactation — Anethole is excreted in breastmilk; excessive maternal consumption of fennel-containing herbal preparations has been associated with anethole toxicity in breastfed newborns.
Infants — EMA does not recommend fennel fruit infusions for children up to 4 years of age, and EFSA's safety review was specifically triggered by German BfR concerns about estragole genotoxic carcinogen exposure in infants and young children.
Children — EFSA's draft scientific opinion suggests a lower estragole guidance value of 1 µg/kg bw/day for children, reflecting heightened sensitivity compared to adults.
Other — Individuals with known allergy to plants in the Apiaceae family (carrots, celery, dill, coriander) may experience cross-allergic reactions to fennel, including respiratory symptoms, skin reactions, or photosensitivity.
Research citations
The sources behind this verdict.
- 1FDA. CPG Sec 525.750 Spices – Definitions. fda.gov
- 2FSSAI. Food Product Standards – Chapter 2: Salt, Spices, Condiments and Related Products, Section 2.9.9 Fennel (Saunf), 2024. fssai.gov.in
- 3EFSA. Call for data for the evaluation of the safety in use of preparations from the fruits of sweet and bitter fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill. and Foeniculum piperitum (Ucria) C.Presl), 2023. efsa.europa.eu
- 4PubMed. Fennel, 2018. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 5PubMed. Can Estragole in Fennel Seed Decoctions Really Be Considered a Danger for Human Health? A Fennel Safety Update, 2012. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Independently researched5 citations