Admixture of Star Anise: How Producers Reduce This Rate

Star anise trees are only in Vietnam and some provinces of China, which makes star anise a specialty of Vietnam. Vietnam star anise is better than any other kind of anise, due to the suitable climate in the North of Vietnam. Being a spice, it’s important that star anise should be “clean”. This means that producers need to reduce the admixture rate of star anise as low as. In this post, we’ll discover the processing procedures and how producers reduce the admixture of star anise.

1. Preparation for Anise cultivation

Vietnamese farmers use a method that depends on climate and tradition to grow star anise. Farmers seek out regions between 300 and 700 meters above sea level because star anise grows best in cool, humid climates. As a result of their favorable circumstances, the provinces of Lang Son and Cao Bang are excellent sites. The quality of star anise actually improves with a colder climate.

First, in order to provide the young trees with much-needed moisture, farmers plant in the spring or during the rainy season. They usually plant seeds taken from mature trees, which are 20 to 40 years old, for best results. The new trees need to be given careful attention for the duration of their lives after they are planted. Therefore, farmers must maintain healthy soil moisture levels while providing enough water and sunlight. Fertilizer is even used by some farmers to speed up the growth of their star anise trees.

Normally, anise plants, if planted and cared for well, will flower after 4 – 7 years of planting and can be harvested for up to several decades. The yield of star anise from the 4th to 7th year is about 0.5 – 1 kg/tree. However, an anise tree above 20 years can yield a stable yield, of up to 40 – 50 kg. If the star anise tree is planted and cared for properly, it can yield high and stable yields, extending the harvest period up to 80 years.

2. Harvesting Star Anise 

The star anise trees start to produce fruit after four to seven years of growth. Timing is the key to a successful harvest. A star-shaped flower with a diameter of 2.5 to 3 cm, anise flowers typically have 6 to 8 petals. A tiny, smooth seed in the shape of an egg is inside each petal. When the individual pods on the star-shaped clusters begin to split open, star anise fruits are ready to be picked. 

Vietnam harvests star anise twice a year. First, March through April is when the spring harvest takes place. Then, from August to November, the autumn harvest occurs. Before its fruits can be harvested, a star anise tree must be at least five years old.

Harvesting requires a lot of work. To choose only the ripest and most aromatic fruits, farmers meticulously scale the trees. Eventually, these star anise fruits will be turned into the highly valued spice. It is difficult to harvest, and it can only be done twice a year in a short amount of time. This spice is therefore a “rare” product. 

Processing Star Anise

Once harvested, the fruits undergo a period of sun-drying. This crucial step reduces moisture content and prevents spoilage, ensuring the long-lasting quality of the spice. 

Drying: The fruits are laid out in the sun to dry after harvest. They are preserved for extended usage and their flavor is enhanced by this technique. Producers concentrate on reaching the optimal moisture content of star anise in this process. Whole star anise (spring and fall star anise) has a maximum moisture content of 13%. Broken star anise has a maximum moisture content of 13.5%. This level is sufficient to preserve the spice’s flavor and prolong the shelf life of anise. 

Hand-sorting: As mentioned earlier, hand-sorting is crucial. Each pod is inspected meticulously to ensure it meets quality standards. The farmers discard the imperfect, broken or discolored pods.

Sorting by size: Then they sort them by size. Larger, more intact pods are often preferred for export. In comparison, smaller ones may be used domestically or in spice blends.

Removing admixture: In this step, producers use modern machine to remove as much as admixture in anise such as: dirt, rock, stem or leaf… The purpose is to make star anise cleaner. They ensure the admixture rate of star anise is at 1% max, which is qualified the standard of customers.

3. Low admixture rate Star Anise of HAVIGO

Spring Star Anise

People harvest spring star anise (during the spring months (March to April). People also call spring star anise as Dried anise type II (or Four-quarter anise). This kind of star anise has the following characteristics.

• Size: It is typically smaller and more slender than the autumn star anise. Anise petal length is from 2 – 2.5cm (accounting for 85% of the total quantity).
• Color: Spring star anise has a darker, richer color than its autumn one.
• Flavor: Offers milder flavor due to lower oil content than autumn anise.
• Price: Due to its quality, spring star anise is cheaper than autumn star anise.

Specifications of spring star anise provided by HAVIGO

• Place of Origin: Lang Son, Vietnam
• Size: 2 cm (80% up)
• Taste: Sweet, Tasty
• Color: Natural
• Moisture: 13% Max
• Admixture: 1% Max
• Broken: 5% Max
• Certificate: ISO, HACCP, BRC
• Packing: 10kg/PCV/carton box

Autumn Star Anise

The farmers often harvest autumn star anise during the autumn months (August to November). Autumn star anise also has other names Dried anise type I (or Season anise). Autumn star anise exhibits the following characteristics:

• Size: Compared to spring star anise, autumn star anise tends to be larger and more robust. Anise petal length above 2.5cm (accounting for 80% of the total quantity).
• Color: It often has a lighter, paler color than spring star anise.
• Flavor: Autumn star anise contains more oil content, therefore, it is more flavorful than spring one.
• Price: As above characteristics, the autumn star anise is more premium, it is more expensive than the four-quarter one.

Specifications of autumn star anise provided by HAVIGO

• Place of Origin: Lang Son, Vietnam
• Size: 2.5 cm (80% up)
• Taste: Sweet, Tasty
• Color: Natural
• Moisture: 13% Max
• Admixture: 1% Max
• Broken: 5% Max
• Certificate: ISO, HACCP, BRC
• Packing: 10kg/PCV/carton box

Broken Star Anise

Typically, star anise fruits are harvested by hand. Some fruits, however, might fall naturally, which would make them less fresh than those that are picked. Fallen fruits frequently exhibit unique color and shape traits, even though their quality may not vary much. The color and shape of broken star anise are often darker. Its ease of processing into powder is a benefit, though.

Even though these broken star anise are less visually appealing, they still have the essential flavor and scent of star anise. Because they fall naturally, these star anise fruits might not be as high-quality as those that are harvested, especially after drying. They are therefore less expensive than whole star anise.  

Specifications of broken star anise provided by HAVIGO

• Place of origin: Lang Son, Vietnam
• Size: Not in uniform
• Taste: Sweet, licorice-like flavor
• Color: Natural dark brown
• Moisture: 13.5% max
• Admixture: 2% max
• Packing: 10kg/PCV/carton box

About us

Havigo Company Limited operates in the field of agricultural export. We wish to bring high-quality Vietnamese agricultural products such as spices, rice, beans, and fruits… to the world. We supply you with high-quality products at the best price. If you find interested in importing Vietnamese Star Anise, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us for better support via WhatsApp: +84 979 58 58 56.

We are confident in our ability to deliver products that consistently meet the highest quality standards while offering competitive pricing within the market. Furthermore, we are committed to providing exceptional customer support throughout your entire experience. Please contact us for better support via WhatsApp: +84 979 58 58 56.