درباره زعفران
Saffron’s history and its utilization by humans spans more than 3,500 years. Overall, the history and origin of saffron cultivation can be traced back to nearly 3,000 years ago. The earliest saffron cultivation became popular in Iran during the Sassanian era. However, some historical sources mention saffron’s 5,000-year history in Iran, as a botanical book from the Assyrian era references the saffron flower.
Saffron is a spice derived from the dried stigmas of the saffron flower, and it has been one of the world’s most valuable products throughout history. Saffron is used as a spice, dye, fragrance, and medicine.
Its origins are native to Southwest Asia, and it was first cultivated in Greece. Today, Iran is the largest producer of saffron in the world, and in 2008, nearly 90% of global saffron was produced in Iran.
The English word “saffron” most likely traces back to cultivated clones of the saffron plant, with somewhat obscure origins. The term originates from the Latin “safranum,” which came into French as “safran.” The Portuguese “açafrão” and Spanish “azafrán” also derive from the Arabic word “az-zaʿfarān.”
Saffron (scientific name: Crocus sativus) is a plant from the Iridaceae family, saffron genus, and is regarded as the world’s most expensive, highest quality, and most fragrant spice, prized in culinary use. The saffron bulb is covered by a brown skin that protects it. Once the bulb is planted, growth begins, producing a stem (known as “tij”), which will eventually bud.
The stigma and style are crimson, while the flower petals are purple. After blooming, the saffron flowers are picked and dried, used as a seasoning and coloring agent in food.
Saffron is a plant from the Iridaceae (iris) family and is the most expensive spice in the world. From the center of this plant’s leaves, a flowering stem emerges, which produces one to three blossoms. Each flower features six purple petals, three stamens, and a pistil that ends in a three-branched stigma, colored reddish-orange.
The usable part of this plant is the tip of the style and the three-branched stigma, which is famously known as saffron. This part is aromatic and somewhat bitter. Saffron is considered uplifting, and today pharmaceutical companies use it as an antidepressant. The crocin and safranal compounds found in saffron have effects similar to conventional antidepressant medications.
Crocin is the compound responsible for the coloring in saffron. Picrocrocin gives saffron its characteristic bitter taste and is mainly responsible for its flavor profile. Safranal is the compound that constitutes saffron’s distinctive aroma.
- Improves vision
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- Treats fatty liver disease
- Rejuvenates and improves skin health
- Boosts the immune system
- Helps treat various types of cancer
- Uplifting and mood-enhancing
- Eliminates bad breath
- Improves heart function
This is the most expensive and rarest trim of saffron available. Super Negin saffron is well-known for its strength and its beautiful appearance. The stigmas in this saffron are longer than those in Sargol saffron and contain no orange or yellow threads.
Super Negin Saffron is the most expensive and rarest trim of saffron available. It is recognized for its strong potency and beautiful appearance. The stigmas in this type are longer than those in Sargol saffron, and there are no orange or yellow threads present.
Negin Saffron refers to saffron in which the three stigmas are attached together and form a cluster. Compared to Super Negin saffron, Negin saffron is longer and may contain yellow or orange threads. This type of saffron has the highest coloring strength (above 250 USP) among all varieties and its volume is also greater.
Sargol saffron is the red part of the saffron stigma. It is highly aromatic and potent, but in terms of appearance, it usually ranks second after Super Negin saffron due to containing smaller fragments and broken threads.
Poushal saffron consists of threads about 2 to 3 millimeters thick. It contains the red part of the stigmas along with a portion of the cream (white) style, typically 3 to 5 millimeters in length. Poushal saffron is produced at the beginning of the harvest season. Because some of the style remains attached to the red stigma, there are more floral residues in this type, which account for about 5 to 10 percent of its weight.
Bunch saffron, also known as Dasteh saffron, consists of the entire stigma, including both the yellow and red parts. It is less expensive than Sargol saffron.
When the Sargol part is separated from the bunch, the root section—the lowest part of the saffron flower—remains. In Iran, this part is called “Konj” or “White Saffron.” It has a pale yellow to white color and lacks crocin, the compound responsible for saffron’s coloring. For this reason, it is not considered true saffron.
Badiee Saffron Company, committed to enhancing the quality and safety of its final products and increasing customer satisfaction based on ISO 22000:2018 and ISO 9001:2015 standards, has adopted the following strategic objectives and policies:
- Preserving food safety and quality, and allocating resources accordingly
- Striving for stakeholder satisfaction and considering their interests
- Advancing technology and scientific knowledge in the saffron industry
- Enhancing the knowledge and competencies of human resources
- Increasing productivity and reducing waste
- Diversifying products and expanding the product portfolio
- Increasing domestic and international market share through representatives
- Promoting alignment among processes and organizational departments, fostering a culture of continuous improvement
- Maintaining environmental protection with a focus on producing and distributing organic products
- Adhering to internal and external communication standards and protocols through designated organizational channels
- Complying with legal requirements and regulations
- Valuing and fulfilling social responsibility
