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SAFFRON
(
Crocus sativus L.
) |
Names in Other Languages:
| English |
Saffron, Saffron crocus |
| French |
Safran |
| German |
Safran, Echter Safran, Saffran |
| Spanish |
Azafrán |
| Italian |
Zaffarano, Zafferano, Croco fiorito, Croco senza fiori |
| Turkish |
Safran |
| Japanese |
蕃紅花 Sahuran |
FAMILY:
Iridaceae
ORIGIN: Saffron is originated from Western Asia and it is cultivated in Spain, Austria, Italy, Greece, France, India and Iran. Saffron stigmata, also called saffron threads
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GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
 Saffron stigmata, also called saffron threads
USEFUL PARTS:
Stigma, also called style. Approximately 150000 flowers are needed for one kilogram of dried saffron; typically, one would need 2000 m² field area per kg harvest. Less expensive qualities include also the yellow stamina, which do not have any taste of their own.
SENSORY PROPERTIES: Very intensively fragrant and slightly bitter in taste.
MAIN CONSTITUENTS:
| The average composition of commercial saffron is as follows: |
| Moisture: |
15.6% |
| Starch and sugars: |
13.00% |
| Essential oil: |
0.6% |
| Fixed oil: |
5.63% |
| Fiber: |
4.48% |
| Total ash: |
4.27% |
| Nitrogen free extract: |
43.64% |
Source: http://www.indianetzone.com/1/saffron_flower.htm |
| Chemical composition of saffron |
| Components |
Mass % |
| Carbohydrates |
12.0–15.0 |
| Water |
9.0–14.0 |
| Polypeptides |
11.0–13.0 |
| Cellulose |
4.0–7.0 |
| Lipids |
3.0–8.0 |
| Minerals |
1.0–1.5 |
| Miscellaneous non-nitrogenous |
40.0 |
Source: Dharmananda, S (2005), "Saffron: An Anti-Depressant Herb", Institute for Traditional Medicine |
Saffron contains more than 150 volatile and aroma-yielding compounds. On the other hand It also has many nonvolatile active components and many of them are carotenoids, including zeaxanthin, lycopene, and various α- and β-carotenes. Saffron's golden yellow-orange colour is primarily the result of α-crocin. This crocin is trans-crocetin di-(β-D-gentiobiosyl) ester (systematic (IUPAC) name: 8,8-diapo-8,8-carotenoic acid). This means that the crocin underlying saffron's aroma is a digentiobiose ester of the carotenoid crocetin [2]
| Proximate analysis of saffron |
| Components |
Mass % |
| Water-soluble components |
53.8 |
| → Gums |
10.0 |
| → Pentosans |
8.0 |
| → Pectins |
6.0 |
| → Starch |
6.0 |
| → α–Crocin |
2.0 |
| → Other carotenoids |
1.0 |
| Lipids |
12.0 |
| → Non-volatile oils |
6.0 |
| → Volatile oils |
1.0 |
| Protein |
12.0 |
| Inorganic matter ("ash") |
6.0 |
| → HCl-soluble ash |
0.5 |
| Water |
10.0 |
| Fiber (crude) |
5.0 |
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saffron |
The intensive colour of saffron is caused by pigments of carotenoid type. Although saffron contains some conventional carotenoids (α- and β-carotene, lycopin and zeaxanthin), its staining capability is predominantly caused by crocetine esters; crocetin is a dicarboxylic acid with a carotenoid-like C18 backbone which is formed from carotenoid precursors (diterpene carotenoid). Crocin, a diester of crocin with gentobiose, is the single most important saffron pigment.
In the essential oil (max. 1%), several terpene aldehydes and ketones are existent. The most abundant constituent is safranal, 2,6,6-trimethyl 1,3-cyclohexadiene-1-carboxaldehyde (50% and more); another olfactorily important compound is 2-hydroxy-4,4,6-trimethyl 2,5-cyclohexadien-1-one. Furthermore, terpene derivatives have been identified (pinene, cineol).
The bitter taste is attributed to picrocrocin, the glucoside of an alcohol structurally related to safranal (4-hydroxy-2,4,4-trimethyl 1-cyclohexene-1-carboxaldehyde ). On de-glucosylation, picrocrocin yields safranal.
Safranal and its relatives, most typically C9 or C10 isoprenoids with a cyclohexane ring, are formed from carotenoid pigments as the result of enzymatic degradation [2]
MAIN USES IN FOOD PROCESSING:
The flower styles are commonly used as a flavouring the foods. Saffron is used as yellow colouring for various foods such as bread, soups, sauces, rice and puddings. They are an essential ingredient of many traditional dishes such as paella, bouillabaisse, risotto milanese and various other Italian dishes.The styles are extremely rich in riboflavin and water soluble. The flower styles are used as a tea substitute. The roots can be cooked. The corms are toxic to young animals so this report of edibility should be treated with some caution.[3]
In very high dosage, saffron exhibits severely toxic qualities, but accidental poisoning is rare due to the high price and small amounts used for cooking. [4]
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES:
Saffron is abortifacient; anodyne; antispasmodic; aphrodisiac; appetizer; carminative; diaphoretic; emmenagogue; expectorant; narcotic; sedative; stimulant. [3]
The styles and stigmas are anodyne, antispasmodic, aphrodisiac, appetizer, carminative, diaphoretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, sedative and stimulant and they are used as a diaphoretic for children, to treat chronic haemorrhages in the uterus of adults, to induce menstruation, treat period pains and calm indigestion and colic. A dental analgesic is obtained from the stigmas. The yellow dye obtained from the stigmas has been used for many centuries to colour cloth. A blue or green dye is obtained from the petals[3].
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REFERENCES and SOURCES:
[1] http://www.theepicentre.com/Spices/saffron.html
[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saffron
[3]http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Crocus+sativus
[4]http://www.aidanbrooksspices.blogspot.com/2007/10/my-spices-archive-r-z.html#saffron
http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/Croc_sat.html
http://web.archive.org/web/20070223164402/unitproj.library.ucla.edu/biomed/spice/index.cfm?displayID=22
http://www.crop.cri.nz/home/products-services/publications/broadsheets/020saffron.pdf
http://growingtaste.com/herbs/saffron.shtml
http://www.tis-gdv.de/tis_e/ware/gewuerze/safran/safran.htm
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