Description

Saffron — the most valuable, fragrant, and renowned spice in the world — is highly valued for its role in gourmet cuisine, luxury cosmetics, and wellness applications.

Iran, often recognized as the birthplace of saffron, produces more than 99% of the global supply, maintaining its position as the world’s largest exporter. China stands as the biggest importer of this premium product.

The distinctive aroma and unmatched flavor of saffron come from Safranal, while its brilliant golden hue is derived from Crocin. To safeguard authenticity and identify counterfeit products, advanced analytical 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 reaching 10–30 cm in height. From its bulb emerge slender green leaves and a flowering stem bearing 1–3 blossoms.

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

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

Sargol Saffron

Sargol Saffron is composed entirely of deep-red stigmas, completely free from yellow or white style portions. Each thread is fully separated, resulting in a clean, uniform, and premium product.

It surpasses Dasteh (Bunch) and Pushal in quality and is ideal for both local and export markets. It is also the most recognized saffron grade among consumers globally.

In international trade, it is also referred to as Mumtaz Saffron, Mumtaz Ghaenat, Sar-Risheh, or Sar-Ghalam.

The style (root) is fully removed, leaving only pure, aromatic stigmas. Quality is assessed according to:

1. Stigma length
2. Absence of dyed white fragments

With a coloring strength of 200–240 units, Sargol saffron is the most popular choice for exquisite culinary use.