Chemical Properties
This is an herbaceous plant indigenous to western Asia, now widespread throughout mountainous and hilly areas of Europe, the Mediterranean and Asia The herb is about 0.5 m (20 in. ) tall, with a velveted, erect stalk, alternate leaves and whitish-yellow fowers that bloom from June to July The fruits are linear-compressed with smooth, rounded seeds The seeds are the part used The seeds have a slight maple taste and are often used in production of imitation maple favorings The freshly comminuted seed displays an intensely sweet, spicy, protein-like aroma The favor is reminiscent of slightly burnt sugar, with a bitter back note.
Chemical Properties
Steam distillation of the seeds has been tried, although with very poor yields of extraction With volatile hydrocarbon solvents or with weak alcohol, extraction yields products of various appearance, odor and favor The hydroalcoholic extract is very dark and resinous in appearance and has an intensely sweet, root-like odor The petroleum ether extract of the crushed seeds is lighter in color but less sweet of odor.
Chemical Properties
Fenugreek oleoresin has a sweet, roasted, brown maple odor with a deep cocoa nuance Also see Fenugreek.
Physical properties
The oleoresin is a dark-brown, viscous semisolid.
Occurrence
Reported found in fenugreek
Uses
fenugreek extract (Trigonellafoenum-graecum) is considered an emollient, anti-inflammatory, and healing ingredient. It can also be used to mask odor or add fragrance to a product. It was traditionally used in treatments for irritated skin. The seeds of this annual herb have been used through the ages and were held in high regard among the egyptians, greeks, and Romans for medicinal and culinary purposes.
Essential oil composition
Fenugreek seeds contain a high proportion (40%) of a soluble fiber known as mucilage. This fiber forms
a gelatinous structure (similar to guar gum). Its main constituent is anethole. The dried product and its extracts contain trigonelline
(alkaloid). Six new furostanol-type steroid saponins called trigoneosides (Xa, Xb, XIb, XIIa, XIIb, and XIII) were isolated from the
seeds of T. foenum-graecum L. together with six known furostanol-type steroid saponins: trigoneosides Ia, Ib and Va, glycoside D,
trigonelloside C and compound C. Several coumarin compounds have been detected in fenugreek seeds. The leaves of the plant are
reported to contain seven saponins called graecunins.
Composition
The dried product and its extracts contain trigonelline (alkaloid).
Taste threshold values
Taste characteristics at 0.01%: burnt, roasted, bready, coffee, grain, wheat and sesame with a whiskey nuances.
Flammability and Explosibility
Not classified
