Dark red threads of saffron are often used to impart a rich yellow color and distinct flavor to traditional Spanish paella, French bouillabaisse, and other dishes. Known as the most expensive spice in the world, saffron is harvested just three delicate stigmas at a time from the purple flower of the saffron crocus (Crocus sativus). Producing just one pound of saffron requires hundreds of thousands of stigmas, thousands of flowers, and hundreds of hours of meticulous labor. While most recipes thankfully call for just a pinch or less, discerning cooks know that saffron's ability to color and flavor food can be enhanced by first steeping the dried threads in hot water or soaking them in alcohol. This important step helps to coax even more of the yellow-producing carotenoid, crocin, and other coloring and flavoring substances from within the dark red threads.
Alonso, G. L.; Sanchez, M. A.; Salinas, M. R.; Navarro, F. Analysis of the color of saffron. Alimentaria (Madrid) 1997, 279, 115-127. Nutritious spices are used for their color, flavor or aroma. One of the more appreciated spices is saffron, because it confers on food a tempting yellow color, characteristic flavor, and an exotic aroma. This spice is used also as a coloring agent in numerous industries: food, beverages, pharmaceutical, etc. The quality control norms used internationally for saffron are based upon its color in water exts. at 440 nm. The objective this work was to compare this method of extn. with direct measurements using reflection colorimetry, keeping in mind how it affects the size of the particle and the humidity. It has been obsd. that both the particle size and the humidity have a strong influence on the reflection, but not absorbance, measurements in the water exts. Nevertheless, measuring color by reflection is the more appropriate method for prepg. a catalog of samples of milled saffron, since it allows colors to be differentiated similarly to the eye of the consumer.
