Description

Saffron — the most expensive, aromatic, and celebrated spice in the world — plays a vital role in gourmet cuisine, luxury cosmetics, and wellness practices.

Iran, acknowledged as the birthplace of saffron, produces over 99% of the world’s supply, making it the largest exporter globally, while China stands as the leading importer.

Its distinct aroma and exquisite flavor derive from Safranal, while its radiant golden color is due to Crocin. To ensure authenticity and detect adulteration, professional testing methods such as mass spectrometry and high‑performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) are employed.

Key Components of Saffron

Botanical Profile

The saffron plant (Crocus sativus) is a small perennial herb growing 10–30 cm tall. From its bulb emerge slender leaves and a flowering stem bearing 1–3 blossoms.

Each blossom features six violet petals (sometimes pink or purple), three yellow stamens, and a pistil ending in a three-branched red-orange stigma.

The usable part is the dried stigmas and style tip — aromatic, slightly bitter, and prized worldwide.

Pooshal Saffron (Thread Saffron)

Pooshal Saffron is a key grade in saffron classification. In processing, a small portion of the style — generally 1 to 3 mm — is left attached to the stigmas.

This inclusion of style helps reduce the likelihood of adulteration and builds consumer trust. Its coloring strength is higher than Dasteh (Bunch) saffron, and it is frequently supplied directly by farmers. However, its quality is lower than Sargol saffron.

Appearance characteristics:

• The three stigma branches remain attached together
• Quality ranks between Dasteh and Sargol grades
• Presence of a white style portion at the base, so coloring is not purely uniform red
• Coloring strength typically ranges between 170–200 units, depending on quality

Types of Pooshal Saffron

1. Standard Pooshal – With normal style length and typical threads
2. Pooshal Ghollamdaar (Long-Stem Pooshal) – Thick, smooth stigmas without curls, with minimal style attached.