Fennel seeds: why 134 g per cup is wrong
USDA Branded (Fennel Seed, Morton & Bassett) publishes 134 g (4.7 oz) per US cup of fennel seeds. This site rejects that figure. The sources it accepts put a cup at 92.7–104.6 g (3.3–3.7 oz), and it publishes that range rather than a single figure. The reason:
134 g/cup is 44% above the USDA SR whole-seed anchor of 93 g/cup and beyond any physically plausible bulk density for elongated crescent-shaped fennel seeds, which pack with high void fraction due to shape. Likely a tapped-fill measurement convention or FDA serving-size rounding artifact rather than genuine loose-fill density. Excluded from the range.
The arithmetic
| Source | 1 cup | Density | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| USDA Branded (Fennel Seed, Morton & Bassett) | 134 g4.7 oz | 0.5664 g/mL | Rejected on physics |
| Accepted sources (3) | 92.7–104.6 g3.3–3.7 oz | 0.392–0.4422 g/mL | Published as a range |
The published figure and its sources
The full sourcing for fennel seeds, including every accepted and rejected figure, the state or filling method behind each, and the physics or standards reasoning applied, is on the ingredient page.
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