How to read saffron test sheet ?

We all try to buy the best quality. Especially when it comes to saffron, sensitivity to its quality increases and we don’t want to experience bad quality at all. The quality of saffron is one of the factors that makes the buyer decide whether to buy saffron or not. In previous posts, we talked about original saffron detection methods that are very useful in diagnosing the quality of saffron. In order to be 100% sure of the quality of a saffron, you should test the saffron in the saffron quality control laboratories.

In this section, we are going to examine a saffron test sheet. The test sheet examines several important parameters such as the coloring power of saffron, its aroma, the presence or absence of additives, the amount of moisture and various other things. There are several parameters that can be tested in saffron testing. For example, the saffron which is to be used for export to Germany, must also be tested for arsenic. It depends on the destination country. let us see how examine a saffron test sheet:

1- Saffron coloring power

It is known as Crocin. You can see it in line 9 (Minimal Crocin based on dry matter). Saffron with a dyeing power of more than 270 is a super Negin saffron for export.

2- Saffron Flavors

Saffron Flavors on 7 line test page (at least picrocrocin based on dry matter) is measured. If the saffron is grade 1, it must be at least 85 pixels. In the saffron that was tested, the number related to this index was 89.

3- Saffron Aroma

It is measured in 8 line as “the amount of saffron based on dry matter”. It is famous as Safranal. This indicator should show a number between 20 and 50. For this test, It is 24!!! This parameter can show whether the saffron is old or new. what does it mean?

As more and more time passes from saffron harvesting, its coloring power decreases and it is added to its aroma. Therefore, the old saffron has a wonderful aroma and smell, but its coloring power is low. Then By examining the coloring power and aroma of saffron in the test sheet, it can be determined whether this saffron is old or new.

Since our saffron has not shown a very high coloring power in the experiment, it shows that it is probably for last year. If the coloring power is relatively low and the aroma of saffron is high, that saffron is a for last year.

4- Additives

Adding additives such as salt and honey is one of the frauds that occur in saffron, which falsely increases the weight of saffron. You can read these article, also.‌ But saffron testing can prove to you that substances have been added to saffron. The line 2 of this test sheet shows whether anything has been added to saffron.

A very, very small percentage is allowed for saffron which can be caused by dust in the area, but more than that is not a good sign at all.

5- Additive color

Another fraud of saffron is the addition of artificial and chemical dyes to saffron. This is done by some profiteers to increase the coloring of saffron. But this artificial color is completely different from the real color of saffron. The line 10 examines the presence of additive color. Every saffron you have, whether good quality or poor quality, should not have even a small amount of chemical dye added to it. Here we wrote about how to recognize the color of saffron.