Saffron

Saffron

 

Saffron is the most expensive spice of the world.It is derived from the dried part of the

plant crocussativus.The plant is a bulbous,pereninal with globular corms, 15-20cm high.It

has 6 to 10 leaves present at anthesis,one to two flowers with a lilac-purple colour with

perianth segments of 3 to 5cm and style branches of 2 to 3.2cm.The yellow style is deeply

divided into thre branches and the stigmata are bright red in colour.Flowers are arising

directly from the corms.Flowers have tri-lobed stigma, which along with the style tops yield

the saffron of commerce.Saffron is harvested in the month of oct-nov.It takes 150000 flowers

to get 1 kg of saffron.This spice is valourised by its colouring,flavouring and aromatic

strngth.The responsible components of these properties are crocin,the picrocrocin and safranal

among others volatile compounds respectively.

 

Growing areas

Saffron is cultivated in india,spain,iran and other countries.Kashmir saffron is considered

world’s best saffron.

 

Uses

 

1.Saffron imparts a distinctive taste and aroma along with a lovely yellow color to a variety

of exotic dishes.It is widely usedwith milk,rice,chicken masala’s,ice cream,mixes soups and

pan masalas.

 

2.It has also medicinal uses as it is the best anteseptic,eupeptic,sedative.It is also useful

in treating acne and also helpful in treating various digestive disorders.

 

3.It is also used in dyes,mainly for dying wool and leather.

 

4.saffron has found good use in cosmetics also.it is used in creams,soaps,perfumes and other

products.