Description

Saffron — the world’s most valuable, aromatic, and celebrated spice — is cherished for its role in gourmet cooking, luxury cosmetics, and wellness traditions.

Recognized by most historians as the birthplace of saffron, Iran today produces over 99% of the world’s supply, making it the largest exporter. China stands as the leading importer of this premium treasure.

Its rich aroma and distinctive flavor come from Safranal, while the brilliant golden hue is produced by Crocin. Advanced scientific methods such as mass spectrometry and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) are used to detect counterfeit saffron and ensure authenticity.

Key Components of Saffron

Botanical Profile

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

Each flower has six violet petals (sometimes pink or deep purple), three yellow stamens, and a pistil topped with a three-branched red-orange stigma.

The commercial spice is obtained from the dried stigmas and style tip — aromatic, slightly bitter, and treasured worldwide.

Sargol Saffron

Sargol Saffron is made exclusively from deep-red stigmas with no yellow style portions, offering unmatched purity and brilliant coloring. Threads are completely separated for a clean, premium appearance.

It outperforms Dasteh (Bunch) and Pushal varieties in quality, making it ideal for both domestic use and high-value export markets.

Also referred to as Mumtaz Saffron, Ghaenat Saffron, Sar-Risheh, or Sar-Ghalam, this variety is synonymous with the premium image of Iranian saffron.

Here, the style (root) is entirely removed, leaving only the fine, aromatic stigmas. Quality is assessed by:

1. Length of the stigmas
2. Absence of any dyed white fragments

With a coloring strength of 200–240 units, Sargol saffron is widely preferred for both culinary artistry and everyday indulgence.