SAFFRON

Refrence by: USDA National Nutrient data base

Saffron Specification

In fact, saffron is considered as its ability to dye and the resulting color quality. One of the main factors in the coloring of saffron is a chemical called crocin.crocin and melting point of 186 degrees Celsius is the reason for most of the properties of saffron, including lowering blood lipids, affecting vision and improving the digestive system, also plays an important role in saffron coloring. In fact, crocin is red in color and appears orange when dissolved in water. So we can say that the main cause of red saffron color is crocin. It should be noted that due to the high solubility of crocin, it is also used as food and medicinal dyes.

Bunch Saffron

Saffron is a complete string that has the red and yellow parts of saffron together. The yellow part is about 30 and the red part is about 70%. In this type of classification, saffron is intact and the stigmas of the three branches of saffron are not separated from the white part of saffron (or saffron cream). The layout of this model is one-way and two-way. In a one-sided arrangement, the creams are stacked on top of each other and the stigmas are stacked on top of each other, but in a two-sided arrangement, the stigmas are on both sides and the creams are in the middle.

Pushal Saffron

Pushal Saffron: In straw saffron, the saffron cream (white part) is separated from under the flower, so that the stigmas will have 2-3 mm of cream. At the end of the stigmas of the three branches of saffron, there is some yellow or white, which gives it a straw-like shape; That is why saffron is called straw. Straw saffron is divided into two types of puffed straw and ordinary straw. This saffron model is graded from 1 to 3 based on the coarseness and sagging of the stigma and the amount of cream attached to it. Straw saffron, which has thick and smooth stigmas, without wrinkles and has less cream (root), is called straw straw, and straw saffron, which has a normal stalk and is eaten with more cream, is called ordinary straw.

Sargol Saffron

It is the most consumed and common type of saffron for people to use and consumers are more familiar with this type of saffron. Sargol saffron has different grades such as premium, pen head and head; Abroad it is called AII-Red meaning completely red. In Sargol saffron, which is a pure saffron, the creamy part or the whiteness of the saffron is completely removed and only the red part remains; That is why it is called all red. Grading and price of Sargol saffron varies depending on the thickness of the stigmas, small or large, and the presence or absence of broken stigmas.
It is difficult to determine the quality of the head. The quality of saffron is graded with two characteristics of “stigma length” and “presence or absence of white pieces of roots that are mixed with the load and turn red” and are graded from 1 to 3.

Negin Saffron

This model of saffron has a wonderful color and appearance and is very fragrant. In this type of saffron, three strands of stigmas are connected and are smooth and without fractures (unlike Sargol saffron, where the stigmas have fractures). This has made this type of saffron look better and more expensive than Sargol saffron, but people prefer to buy Sargol saffron, which has the same color and aroma as Negin saffron, on the other hand, it has a lower price. Foreign customers are more inclined to buy Negin saffron. Negin saffron is divided into two types, super jewel and pseudo-jewel.

Super Negin saffron

Is one of the best and most grade saffron on the market and is a kind of saffron certificate in the world. This type of saffron has a higher quality and price than other types of saffron.

This type of saffron has a good color quality and also has a beautiful appearance, so it is a very good choice for export to countries such as China, India, Japan and Asian countries in general.

Features of Super Negin Saffron:

The ends of the stigmas are not white.

There is no frustration in it.

It has a beautiful color and a beautiful shape.

The three branches of the stigma in Negini saffron are completely separate.

In Negini saffron, the pieces that are stuck together are not seen.

Super Negin saffron Pressure

The difference between Super Negin Persi or ironing saffron is in the way it is dried. If the head of the saffron stigma turns into a flat or a sword under physical pressure or air pressure, saffron will be obtained.

This type of saffron has recently become very common and is mainly used for export, a kind of saffron press.

White Saffron

Saffron corner is not part of the classification of saffron types. After the head is removed from the bunch, the root or white part, which in Iran is called the corner or white saffron, remains; This part is known in Europe as white or style (cream). It is generally believed that the saffron root has more aroma, but scientific studies and analyzes show that the red part of saffron has more valuable substances. One of these substances is crocin, which moves from the red stigma to the white root inside the saffron plant, and because the saffron cream part has more moisture, it causes more aroma to be inhaled from the saffron root. Saffron root does not contain crocin (responsible for saffron coloring) but has the properties of red saffron.