Description
Saffron – the most valuable, aromatic, and prestigious spice in the world – is treasured across gourmet cuisine, premium cosmetics, and wellness industries.
Iran is regarded as the homeland of saffron by most historical and botanical sources. Today, it produces over 99% of the world’s saffron and is its largest exporter, with China as the leading importer.
Saffron’s unique aroma and unmatched flavor are derived from Safranal, while its deep golden-yellow color is due to Crocin. Advanced analytical techniques such as mass spectrometry and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) are employed by professionals to detect and prevent adulteration in the market.
Key Components of Saffron
| Component | Function / Description |
|---|---|
| Crocin | Gives saffron its natural golden hue |
| Picrocrocin | Responsible for saffron’s distinct bitter note |
| Safranal | The key aromatic compound of saffron |
| Lycopene | Carotenoid also present in tomatoes |
| Beta-carotenes | Carotenoids found in carrots |
Botanical Profile
The saffron plant (Crocus sativus) is a small, perennial herb that grows 10–30 cm tall. From its bulb (corm), narrow elongated green leaves emerge, alongside a flowering stem that bears 1–3 blossoms.
Each flower has six violet petals (sometimes pink or purple in certain varieties), with three yellow stamens and one pistil ending in a vivid three-branched stigma of deep red to orange-red hue.
The usable part, known as saffron, consists of the dried stigmas and the tip of the style – aromatic and slightly bitter, known worldwide for its culinary and cultural value.
Sargol Saffron
Sargol Saffron is entirely red stigmas with no pale or white style parts, ensuring maximum purity. The threads are fully separated, delivering an intense and uniform color profile.
Its quality surpasses Dasteh and Pushal saffron, making it suitable for both domestic use and export. Sargol is also the most widely recognized form of saffron among consumers and is considered one of the highest-quality grades available.
Also referred to as Mumtaz Saffron, Ghaenat Saffron, Sar-Risheh, or Sar-Ghalam, it represents the form of saffron most people envision when they think of premium Iranian saffron.
In this grade, the style (root) is completely removed, leaving only pure, deep-red stigmas. Quality is determined by two main criteria:
- Length of the stigmas
- Absence of white or broken pieces dyed red
Sargol saffron offers a coloring strength of 200–240 units, making it a staple for both cooking and high-end culinary presentation.
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