Levels of major and trace elements in fennel (Foeniculum vulgari Mill.) fruits cultivated in Ethiopia

BACKGROUND Sweet fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) is one of the precious spices. Almost all parts of fennel plant are edible. The herb is used as carminative, digestive, diuretic, cosmetic and medicine. METHODS A 0.5 g of the oven dried fennel fruit and soil samples were digested by wet-digestion method. The levels of selected elements (Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Cu, Cr, Co, Zn, Ni, Cd and Pb) were determined in sweet fennel fruit (Foeniculum vulgari Mill.) and soil from Addis Ababa (Central Ethiopia) and Gojjam (Northern West Ethiopia) by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). RESULTS The elemental concentrations (μg/g) in fennel fruit were: Ca (20,500-23,000), Mg (1,310-3,460), Fe (1,140-1,900), Mn (31-51), Cu (24-103), Cr (91-98), Co (26-71), Zn (37-45), Ni (19-24), and Cd (1.6-1.9) while in the soil were: Ca (1,440-1,780), Mg (1,260-3,310), Fe (26,900-28,000), Mn (1,460-1,980), Cu (51-101), Cr (127-141), Co (54-143), Zn (99-104), Ni (98-161), and Cd (1.7-2.9). Pb was below the method detection limit in both the fennel fruit and soil. CONCLUSION The Ethiopian fennel fruits are rich in Ca and Mg and other essential elements (Fe, Cu, Co and Zn) and can be used as good supplement for human being in particularly for children and pregnant women. The toxic element Cd is at trace level and Pb is not detected in the fennel fruit. Thus, Ethiopian fennel fruits are safe for human consumption.