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what is the highest quality saffron?

Saffron is basically considered as a spice which is derived from a flower whose scientific name is Crocus Sativus. It is a delicate purple coloured flower whose stigmas are dried to extract the spice. It is cultivated once in a year. saffron has been used for thousands of years as a seasoning, fragrance, dye, and medicine. The stigmas of the flower are harvested and processed by hand which is very labor intensive and the reason why Saffron is considered the world’s most expensive spice.

High-quality saffron comes from the regions of the world where saffron grows naturally. This is why Persian Saffron  is always high on the list. There are different types of saffron. The highest quality saffron is all red saffron and a subtype called negin grade saffron. The latter is considered to be premium quality saffron where the threads form a red cluster. A lot of work and skills are needed to produce negin saffron.

 

Every serious saffron manufacturer states the type and grade of saffron. If you see that the saffron threads have yellow-white ends, it means that the manufacturer is trying to add some weight. These parts of the stigma are still aromatic but they don’t add any color.

 

The Right Climate for Cultivation 

The best saffron is cultivated in countries with a suitable climate for the saffron flower to grow. The latter likes cold, wet winters, hot summers, and sandy soil. Saffron grows well in such counties as Iran, India, Afghanistan, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Morocco, etc.

Perfectly Dried Saffron

High-quality saffron is perfectly dried saffron. After harvesting, saffron threads should be dried to the perfect degree. They shouldn’t be moist but shouldn’t be roasted either. Once dried, saffron should be properly packaged and stored. Hardly will you find high-quality saffron sold in an ordinary plastic spice jar.

 

How to Test the Quality of Saffron?

Not all saffron brands sell high-quality saffron. As there are brands on the market that sell fake saffron, it is best to buy it from trusted manufacturers. If you have already bought saffron, here is how to tell if it is real high-quality saffron or not.

  • Smell it. Fake saffron doesn’t have a distinct smell. Real saffron, on the other hand, has a unique aroma with sweet notes. It also smells somewhat musky and floral.
  • Taste it. Although saffron is a very aromatic spice, it doesn’t have a distinct taste. It is slightly sweet, floral, and bitter all at the same time. If your saffron tastes overly sweet or metallic, it is either fake or very low-quality.

 

How much is bulk price of saffron?

Among a variety of spices from the different world regions, saffron price is known as highest ones.  We wrote here about saffron retail price. Now I am going to share with you about  saffron bulk price. Since Iran is the main supplier of saffron in the world and most of the saffron in the world markets belongs to Iran, It is advice to buy saffron from Iran and the main saffron companies directly like Amata trade instead of intermarries.

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Does saffron affects eyesight?

If you have recently noticed that you have weak eyes or have recently encountered new eye problems and your glasses or medical lenses do not help you, it is better to go for saffron. Because according to recent studies, there may be a natural way to improve and enhance vision using saffron.

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News: Saffron stops yellow spot disease in eyes.

The collaboration between Royan Institute researchers and the University of Dresden in Germany revealed:

  • Saffron stops yellow spot disease in eyes.
  • These two groups by examining crocetin, one of the ingredients of saffron, proved that The natural antioxidant reduces the effect of oxidative stress on the retinal cell and It reduces or stops the progression of the disease.
  • To decompose yellow spot disease Due to old age, It is one of the causes of visual impairment in the elderly population that there are limited treatments for it. One of the major causes of this disease is oxidative stress by damaging the retinal pigmented epithelium. They disrupt light receptors.
  • In general, the results of this study show that using natural antioxidants such as crocetin can:
    • Reduce the effect of oxidative stress on retinal cells.
    • Reduce or stop the progression of the yellow spot disease.

you can read more about saffron benefits here.

How to store saffron?

Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world; hence extra care needs to be taken while storing saffron. Moreover, it is the aroma of saffron that gives it the special status, and if this pleasant aroma is lost due to poor storage. The very purpose of using saffron would be lost. Storing saffron in a proper manner helps preserve its freshness, taste and aroma for a long time. Saffron is highly sensitive to light. Its one of the reasons why harvest of its flowers is before sunrise. When saffron is exposed to light, it stands to lose its aroma and taste.

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