At first , we do not recommend saffron powder . It is often the very poor quality of saffron that will be reduced to powder.
We even found that in some Moroccan markets we find paprika in saffron powder .
You should also avoid buying saffron with an orange-yellow color. The only color of saffron is blood red .
The pistil must be well dry and especially not have yellowish branching or orange.
Recognize saffron pistil of excellence
To recognize a good saffron you have to feel it.
Saffron, particularly from Iran , has a honeyed , intense metallic flavor and no aftertaste .
However, it is also good to look at the color of saffron pistil.
The appearance of saffron must always be blood red which is a very good indicator of excellence. This is the best quality when there is no yellow or orange branching.
To go further in the quality and appearance of saffron
This spice is in the form of small, very fine filaments in the shape of swollen stigmas on both ends.
Intense red, blood red or a rust-red color.
The quality of saffron will be determined by three criteria:
- Its crocin content (coloring power)
- Safranal (its saffron perfume)
- Picrocrocine (bitterness of saffron)
According to many studies it is said that saffron should not have more than 12% moisture content.
You must have heard the name Nepentine , fine flower or whole saffron.
Neguine is only a commercial name: It is the saffron called premium or saffron cut .
Iran saffron of superior quality has the best rate of crocin , picrocrocin and safranal . All three of its concentrations come from the top of the crocus filament .
It is at the top of the filament that we find the saffron pistils of better quality . The filament will be cut by hand and dried later. Here we keep only the pistil with its blood red color .
The second quality we present by fine flower: the second quality. We keep the lower part of premium saffron and cut the yellow and orange parts.
Whole saffron : as its name suggests, it is the whole saffron pistil that will be dried and sold.