Star Anise
HerbalAlso called · 5 names▾▴
Chinese star anise, Illicium verum, star aniseed, badian, star anis
Not the same as: Anise
Herbal product (culinary spice)
Herbs and supplements are not FDA-approved before sale. About these sources
- Food / spice
- Tea
Research strength: 1 / 5
MotherToBaby says most herbal products have not been well studied during pregnancy, though herbs used in moderation in food preparation are not expected to be of concern. The European Medicines Agency lists star anise as a source of estragole and says estragole-containing herbal medicinal products are not recommended in pregnancy if daily estragole intake exceeds 0.05 mg per person, unless a risk assessment based on adequate safety data justifies use. That threshold concerns herbal medicinal products and is not a pregnancy-outcome estimate for ordinary food use. The FDA's 2003 advisory told the public not to consume teas brewed from star anise after illness reports and possible Japanese-star-anise contamination; FDA said it had not identified the type associated with those illnesses. Human pregnancy-outcome evidence for star anise remains limited, and a 2025 feeding study was in sows, not people. Ask your provider about your situation.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-16
Sources
- MotherToBaby: Herbal Products fact sheetTeratology service
- EMA HMPC: Public statement on herbal medicinal products containing estragoleEU agencyEuropean guidance
- FDA: Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition 2003, star-anise tea advisoryUS government
- Ize-Ludlow et al., Pediatrics 2004, infant star-anise tea case seriesUS government
- Miller et al., Cancer Research 1983, estragole mouse studyUS government
- Moon et al., Animal Bioscience 2025, star-anise sow feeding trialUS government
Research strength: 1 / 5
MotherToBaby says most herbal products have not been well studied during pregnancy, though herbs used in moderation in food preparation are not expected to be of concern. The European Medicines Agency lists star anise as a source of estragole and says estragole-containing herbal medicinal products are not recommended in pregnancy if daily estragole intake exceeds 0.05 mg per person, unless a risk assessment based on adequate safety data justifies use. That threshold concerns herbal medicinal products and is not a pregnancy-outcome estimate for ordinary food use. The FDA's 2003 advisory told the public not to consume teas brewed from star anise after illness reports and possible Japanese-star-anise contamination; FDA said it had not identified the type associated with those illnesses. Human pregnancy-outcome evidence for star anise remains limited, and a 2025 feeding study was in sows, not people. Ask your provider about your situation.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-16
Sources
- MotherToBaby: Herbal Products fact sheetTeratology service
- EMA HMPC: Public statement on herbal medicinal products containing estragoleEU agencyEuropean guidance
- FDA: Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition 2003, star-anise tea advisoryUS government
- Ize-Ludlow et al., Pediatrics 2004, infant star-anise tea case seriesUS government
- Miller et al., Cancer Research 1983, estragole mouse studyUS government
- Moon et al., Animal Bioscience 2025, star-anise sow feeding trialUS government
Research strength: 1 / 5
MotherToBaby says most herbal products have not been well studied during pregnancy, though herbs used in moderation in food preparation are not expected to be of concern. The European Medicines Agency lists star anise as a source of estragole and says estragole-containing herbal medicinal products are not recommended in pregnancy if daily estragole intake exceeds 0.05 mg per person, unless a risk assessment based on adequate safety data justifies use. That threshold concerns herbal medicinal products and is not a pregnancy-outcome estimate for ordinary food use. The FDA's 2003 advisory told the public not to consume teas brewed from star anise after illness reports and possible Japanese-star-anise contamination; FDA said it had not identified the type associated with those illnesses. Human pregnancy-outcome evidence for star anise remains limited, and a 2025 feeding study was in sows, not people. Ask your provider about your situation.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-16
Sources
- MotherToBaby: Herbal Products fact sheetTeratology service
- EMA HMPC: Public statement on herbal medicinal products containing estragoleEU agencyEuropean guidance
- FDA: Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition 2003, star-anise tea advisoryUS government
- Ize-Ludlow et al., Pediatrics 2004, infant star-anise tea case seriesUS government
- Miller et al., Cancer Research 1983, estragole mouse studyUS government
- Moon et al., Animal Bioscience 2025, star-anise sow feeding trialUS government
Star Anise — Breastfeeding
Research strength: 1 / 5
MotherToBaby says there is little information on herbal products while breastfeeding. The European Medicines Agency lists star anise as a source of estragole and says estragole-containing herbal medicinal products are not recommended for breastfeeding women if daily estragole intake exceeds 0.05 mg per person, unless a risk assessment based on adequate safety data justifies use. A 2004 Pediatrics case series reported 7 infants with neurologic reactions after caregivers gave star-anise tea directly at home; it did not study breast-milk exposure. The FDA's 2003 advisory told the public not to consume brewed star-anise teas after illness reports and possible Japanese-star-anise contamination; its 2022 page says not to give these teas to infants. No human milk-transfer or breastfeeding-outcome study specific to star anise was identified in the reviewed sources. Ask your provider about your situation.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-16
Sources
- MotherToBaby: Herbal Products fact sheetTeratology service
- EMA HMPC: Public statement on herbal medicinal products containing estragoleEU agencyEuropean guidance
- Ize-Ludlow et al., Pediatrics 2004, infant star-anise tea case seriesUS government
- FDA: Once Baby Arrives (Food Safety for Moms-to-Be)US government
- FDA: Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition 2003, star-anise tea advisoryUS government
- Miller et al., Cancer Research 1983, estragole mouse studyUS government
Pregnancy
Human pregnancy-outcome studies specific to star anise were not identified in the sources reviewed. MotherToBaby's general sheet says most herbal products have not been well studied, and herbs used in moderation in food preparation are not expected to be of concern. EMA HMPC's revised statement lists Illicium verum as a plant containing estragole; it says estragole-containing herbal medicinal products are not recommended for pregnant people if daily intake exceeds 0.05 mg per person unless a risk assessment based on adequate safety data justifies use. EMA derives this guidance value through a regulatory calculation, with a tumor-potency estimate based on Miller et al. 1983. The Miller abstract reports estragole-associated liver tumors in mice, not human pregnancy outcomes. A 2025 feeding trial allocated 40 pregnant sows to diets with 0% or 0.1% star anise during late gestation and lactation. The abstract reports higher total antioxidant status in sows (p<0.03), increased milk lactose (p<0.01), and lower piglet cortisol (p<0.01) and epinephrine (p<0.04) at weaning; cortisol was also lower in piglets one day after weaning with the sow lactation diet (p<0.05). These animal findings do not establish human pregnancy effects.
Breastfeeding
Human milk-transfer data and infant outcomes after maternal star-anise use were not identified in the sources reviewed. MotherToBaby says there is little information on herbal products during breastfeeding. EMA's estragole threshold advice includes breastfeeding women, but it is a regulatory exposure recommendation, not human lactation evidence. The 2004 Pediatrics case series involved tea given directly to 7 infants, not exposure through breast milk. The 2025 trial measured sow milk and piglet outcomes, but after lactation piglets continued on the same diet as their littermates; it cannot isolate milk-only exposure and provides no human milk-transfer or infant-outcome data.
Star anise is Illicium verum, a Chinese spice; Japanese star anise is Illicium anisatum, a different species. The FDA's 2003 page says Chinese star anise may be contaminated with the Japanese species and says it had not identified the type associated with the reported illnesses. The Pediatrics case series separately reports evidence of contamination, but does not establish that every infant tea case involved the Japanese species. The EMA lists star anise among plants containing estragole. The amount in a particular food-spice serving or tea preparation was not established in these sources.
What was tested
A 2004 Pediatrics case series reported 7 infants after home administration of star-anise tea; it did not study pregnant people, lactating parents, or breast milk. A 2025 randomized feeding trial studied 40 multiparous sows on diets with 0% or 0.1% star anise during late gestation and lactation; 160 piglets were used after weaning and followed until 21 days post-weaning on the same diet as their littermates. The abstract reports higher sow total antioxidant status and milk lactose, and lower piglet cortisol and epinephrine at weaning; these outcomes cannot be attributed to milk-only exposure. EMA's 0.05 mg/person/day guidance value came from a regulatory calculation based on ICH M7 and a carcinogenic-potency estimate from the Carcinogenic Potency Database; the cited Miller 1983 mouse study abstract describes 23 related compounds and liver tumors in female CD-1 mice after estragole in the diet for 12 months. These sources do not provide human pregnancy outcomes or star-anise levels in breast milk.
Food spice, estragole-containing herbal medicinal products, and star-anise tea
- Source A says
- The European Medicines Agency says estragole-containing herbal medicinal products are not recommended for pregnant and breastfeeding women when daily estragole intake exceeds 0.05 mg per person unless a risk assessment based on adequate safety data justifies use. The FDA's 2003 advisory told the public not to consume brewed star-anise teas after illness reports and possible species contamination; its 2022 page specifically says not to give these teas to infants. (EMA HMPC: Public statement on herbal medicinal products containing estragole (Rev 1 Corr 1), FDA: Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition 2003, star-anise tea advisory, FDA: Once Baby Arrives (Food Safety for Moms-to-Be))
- Source B says
- MotherToBaby says herbs used in moderation in food preparation are not expected to be of concern. (MotherToBaby: Herbal Products fact sheet)
- Why they differ
- The EMA statement is about estragole-containing herbal medicinal products above a stated exposure level. The FDA advisory concerns brewed tea and reported illness, including infant cases. MotherToBaby's statement concerns herbs used in moderate amounts for food preparation. These sources address different preparations and exposure levels.
- Other sources
- A 2004 case series reported 7 infants after direct home administration of star-anise tea and separately reported evidence of contamination; it did not study pregnancy or breast-milk exposure. (Ize-Ludlow et al., Pediatrics 2004, infant star-anise tea case series)
- What the evidence shows overall
- The evidence supports keeping the forms distinct. The EMA restriction applies to estragole-containing herbal medicinal products above its stated threshold, while the FDA reports concern brewed tea. Neither statement establishes an effect from moderate culinary use or exposure through breast milk. Human pregnancy and lactation outcome evidence specific to star anise remains limited.
- MotherToBaby states that herbs used in moderation in food preparation are not expected to be of concern; this is general guidance, not a star-anise-specific study. (MotherToBaby)
- The European Medicines Agency states that estragole-containing herbal medicinal products are not recommended in pregnancy or breastfeeding if daily estragole intake exceeds 0.05 mg per person, unless a risk assessment based on adequate safety data justifies use. (European Medicines Agency, HMPC)
- The FDA says not to give infants teas brewed from star anise. (FDA)
General research, not specific to pregnancy.
The FDA's 2003 advisory told the public not to consume teas brewed from star anise after illness reports and possible Japanese-star-anise contamination. The FDA's 2022 infant page says not to give infants tea brewed from star anise.
- The 2004 Pediatrics case series reported 7 infants with neurologic reactions after caregivers gave star-anise tea directly at home; it did not describe breast-milk exposure. (Ize-Ludlow et al., Pediatrics 2004, infant star-anise tea case series)
- The FDA's 2003 archive says the advisory concerned brewed star-anise tea and possible contamination with Japanese star anise. (FDA: Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition 2003, star-anise tea advisory)
- The FDA's infant food guidance says, "Don't give infants \"teas\" brewed from star anise." (FDA: Once Baby Arrives (Food Safety for Moms-to-Be))
- MotherToBaby: Herbal Products fact sheetTeratology serviceSecondary
- EMA HMPC: Public statement on herbal medicinal products containing estragole (Rev 1 Corr 1)EU agencySecondaryPage dated 2023-05-12European guidance
- FDA: Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition 2003, star-anise tea advisoryUS governmentSecondaryPage dated 2016-03-02
- FDA: Once Baby Arrives (Food Safety for Moms-to-Be)US governmentSecondaryPage dated 2022-05-16
- Ize-Ludlow et al., Pediatrics 2004, infant star-anise tea case seriesUS governmentPrimaryIndependent check
- Miller et al., Cancer Research 1983, estragole mouse studyUS governmentPrimaryIndependent check
- Moon et al., Animal Bioscience 2025, star-anise sow feeding trialUS governmentPrimary
Last reviewed 2026-10-16
Independent check 2026-10-16
Not yet clinician-reviewed
Ask your provider about your situation.