Harvesting saffron flowers

This stage is the most enjoyable and at the same time the most difficult stage in Iranian saffron cultivation

In the harvesting stage, the saffron flower is picked from the ground and moved to a specific place for processing and stigma separation

The flowering period of saffron farm is 15 to 25 days and the life of flowers is maximum 3 days and if they are not picked from the ground at the right time, the quality of saffron will decrease

Harvesting of saffron flowers is done early in the morning, before sunrise, so that the flowers are in the form of buds and therefore the stigma is not damaged and the saffron obtained is of high quality

Separation of stigmas

After transferring the arranged flowers, the stigma should be separated from the petals and stamens as soon as possible

Separation is done in three ways

The first method: after splitting the flower, the red stigmas of the rust, which are usually three branches, are separated from the other parts of the flower and placed on top of each other in an orderly manner and dried in the same way. The saffron prepared in this way is known as batch saffron or dokhtarpich saffron

The second method: In this method, the red stigmas are usually separated from the flower along with a part of the cream or the whiteness and dried in the same way. The saffron prepared in this way is called Pushal Iranian Cheapest country to buy saffron

Third method: In this method, the red stigmas are cut from the place of connection to the cream and each (stigma and cream) are collected and dried separately. The best saffron, that is, the precious grade saffron, is prepared in this way

Drying saffron

In addition to the correct way of picking and separating stigmas, the method of drying saffron determines the quality and final value of saffron

Drying methods include: traditional method and industrial method

The traditional method of drying saffron

In the traditional method, price Iranian saffron is kept in the shade or in a warm and dry room for about 8 to 12 days until the saffron is completely dry. In this method, there is a possibility of the growth and multiplication of microorganisms, increasing pollution and also reducing the coloring power due to the activity of enzymes, due to the long drying time

Industrial method of drying Iranian saffron

In this method, Iranian saffron drying is done by modern devices with humidity control

The saffron dried by this method has the best quality in terms of coloring power and taste, and it is also excellent in terms of beauty

Packaging and storage of saffron

After separating the stigmas and drying them, saffron is ready to be packaged and offered

In order to maintain the quality of saffron, standard containers should be used and after packaging, it should be kept in a hygienic place with appropriate temperature and humidity and away from light

Detection of fake Iranian saffron

How much does saffron cost is part of an autumn plant called crocus; About 100,000 saffron flowers are needed to obtain one kilo of saffron spice, so its production requires a lot of money and this has made saffron the most expensive agricultural product in the world

Table of Contents: (clicking on each title will direct you to more details

Professor Harrison from the University of Leicester, England, Department of Genetics has listed some key ways to distinguish real saffron from fake saffron; Among other things, he stated that one of the main ways to distinguish pure and fake saffron is its different and pungent smell – while fake saffron has almost no smell, the smallest amount of pure saffron has a specific and distinct smell. Real saffron also has a bitter taste and a somewhat pungent and pungent taste and has a special shape, and in addition to its unique coloring, it has threads that are wider at the end
Using laboratory research and analysis on 44 commercial products, scientists from Spain and the Czech Republic have proven that about 50% of saffron imported from other countries was fake. Joseph Robert, a researcher from the University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague, Czech Republic, and the University of Valencia, Spain, has stated that one of the best ways to detect fake saffron is the laboratory analysis of this product

The most important parameters that shape the quality of saffron are its aroma, bitterness and coloring power. The three different elements of saffron , which are Iranian saffron, crocin and picrocrocin, are respectively the main reason for the aroma, color and taste of saffron, and each of them is investigated separately in laboratories when distinguishing pure saffron from fake. The color and scent of real saffron can be detected by several methods such as UV-Vis spectroscopy, HPLC, and GC-MS. Today, newer methods such as artificial intelligence and neural network algorithm are used to simulate the human olfactory system to make it easier to distinguish pure saffron from fake types or impure compounds in it

Unfortunately, since saffron is an expensive product, a number of profit-seeking people have used various methods in this product and by adding a variety of similar cheap ingredients to this expensive spice, they are trying to increase the volume of the product and make it more profitable for themselves. Adding or mixing ingredients such as sugar beet, pomegranate, red dyed silk fibers, saffron, parsley, corn stigmas are the most common types of saffron fraud. Another way to increase the volume and weight of saffron is to put it in vegetable oils or glycerin. Adding artificial color is the most common way to get fake saffron into the hands of customers. When this type of saffron is used for medicinal and similar purposes, it can be useless or even harmful

How many types of fraud are there in buying and selling Iranian saffron

There are three main types of fraud and deception in the sale of this expensive spice. The first category are people who try to deceive the buyer with fake saffron, and the second category are those who produce similar products with saffron and intend to deceive the buyer, and the third category are those who sell imported saffron in the name of another country or in the name of their own country
One of the most common frauds is done with saffron , sellers try to sell this plant instead of saffron because it is completely similar to saffron, but it looks like moss and its color is yellow to orange. Since this plant does not smell like saffron, you can easily recognize it, saffron is actually an Indian spice that is widely used in Indian and Asian cuisine
Another type of fraud can be mixing similar spices with Iranian saffron May it create some kind of impurity in saffron
Some key factors to distinguish real saffron from fake: taste, aroma, look and price
Standard saffron is never sweet, if it is sweet, you have definitely bought the fake type. Real saffron creates a spicy and slightly wet taste in the mouth, in addition, real saffron has a very distinct smell. If the fake saffron has almost no aroma and taste, to recognize the aroma, you must first know how real saffron is created. The scent of real saffron is a mixture of earth, tobacco, vanilla and honey. But at the same time, good saffron is always spicy and never sweet
Real saffron also has coloring properties and its strands are also messy. Real saffron does not lose its original color after being placed in water and remains the same color as before. Only real saffron will retain its original color

Therefore, 3 points to consider in determining the quality of Iranian saffron are

Real saffron smells sweet, but its taste is not sweet at all
When you rub it between your wet fingers, it develops an orange/red/yellow color
When the price of saffron is cheaper and far from reality, it is probably fake

Important points in distinguishing original and quality saffron

Fine strands of saffron are trumpet-shaped and no matter how they are harvested, they must maintain their trumpet shape

The color of Iranian saffron is another way by which you can find out whether saffron is of good quality or not. Put some strands of saffron in hot water. Real saffron starts to emit a pure yellow pigment and this color remains for 10 to 15 minutes. After 30 minutes, it will slowly turn orange. But fake saffron immediately turns dark orange and becomes darker when immersed in water

Note that today’s fake saffron can be made from dried beef, coconut hair, or corn powder, all mixed with artificial saffron flavoring, and can even be sold as big name brands for less than its true value. to be sold, so never sacrifice price for quality
Sunlight affects saffron negatively and quickly, that’s why it should be harvested before 8:00 AM to prevent burning, drying, loss of aroma and minimal preservation of its aroma and flavor. After harvesting, saffron must be dried. In the fake saffron market, in order to reach the real density of saffron, additives such as paraffin, permitted edible colors are added. With this in mind, after the saffron enters the water, if you see the smallest oil on the surface of the water, it is fake saffron
Some people believe that saffron should not be stored in plastic containers or ordinary bags. The best way to store saffron is in glass containers or tin containers, which are placed in a dry and dark place at room temperature, such as a kitchen cabinet

What is Iranian saffron

The saffron plant is sometimes used in cooking as an inexpensive substitute for saffron and is sometimes sold as “saffron
In textile dyeing, safflower is used as a natural textile dye. The pigments in safflower are chemical carbohydrates derived from Iranian saffron and are classified as quinone type dyes. It is a direct dye, also known as natural red CI. Yellow, mustard, and olive are the most common colors created with safflower in textiles. Even by using alkaline products, you can find reds and bright purples
Indians use this red color as their official stripe in legal documents. All hydrophilic fibers (natural fibers, such as cotton, wool, etc.) may be dyed with this plant

Saffron concentrate can be a drink or carbonated soft drink
The ancient Egyptians loved saffron and stored it in vases and dried it. Dried saffron is used in traditional Chinese medicine to reduce pain, increase blood circulation, and reduce menstrual bleeding . They are also used in herbal medicines to reduce menstrual pain and physical weakness. In India, the flowers are used to treat scaly skin and also to treat children with measles, fever and skin diseases

Fake corn kernels

Some may even combine corn kernels (corn silk) and coconut threads with artificial saffron dye and ink. Since these threads are very similar to saffron when washed, they add it to real saffron to increase performance. But according to your knowledge, you can remove artificial saffron from saffron using these additional methods. Pure saffron has a crowned head, a flat or shapeless head. The thickness of saffron is not the same from top to bottom, it increases from the base to the tip

Plastic saffron

Plastic fake saffron is another type of fake saffron that has color and taste in appearance. But it will dissolve in warm water after a few minutes. Plastic saffron releases its color faster than pure saffron. Artificial saffron has a red color, and if it has any fragrance, its fragrance is like sandalwood
The last word
saffron is a spice that is worth almost as much as gold, and it is not surprising that profiteers are always looking for a way to deceive the buyers of this valuable spice. Saffron is one of the most expensive agricultural products in the world
This aromatic and precious Iranian saffron is part of the Crocus sativus flower, commonly known as saffron. Croesus saffron grows up to 8 to 12 cm and produces up to four flowers, each of which has three saffron-red strands. After harvesting the saffron strings, they are dried in large quantities, about 200,000 saffron flowers are needed to collect 1 kg of saffron spice, and perhaps this effort is also an explanation for the high price of saffron
Of course, this high value attracts fraudsters who want to earn more money by selling fake saffron. Unfortunately, this is not something new and is seen in all countries

We hope we have helped you learn how to tell the difference between real and fake saffron

Frequently Asked Questions

How many types of fraud are there in buying and selling Iranian saffron