SoukainaChaouqi^ab NataliaMoratalla-López^c MouniraLage^b CándidaLorenzo^c Gonzalo L.Alonso^cTaoufiqGuedira^a

a-Laboratory of Materials, environment and electrochemistry, Faculty of Science, Ibn Tofaïl University, PO Box 242, Kénitra, Morocco

b-Research Unit of Aromatic and Medicinal Plants and Soil Products, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), PO Box 6356-Instituts Avenue Mohamed Belarbi Alaoui, 10101 Rabat, Morocco

c-Cátedra de Química Agrícola. ETSI Agrónomos y de Montes de Albacete, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Campus Universitario, 02071 Albacete, Spain

Abstract

Saffron quality, especially its three secondary components which are: crocins, safranal, and picrocrocin, is highly dependent on processing and storage conditions. In this study, High Performance Liquid Chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) was used to analyze Moroccan saffron in order to study the effect of dehydration and storage conditions on its secondary components, its quality and its stability. Samples were dried in the shade and in the oven at 40 °C, then stored in a smoke glass boxes during one year.

Storage and drying method had a significant effect (p < 0.05) on the secondary components and kaempferol-3-sophoroside-7-glucoside concentrations. Samples dried in the oven had the highest concentrations of crocins, picrocrocin and safranal, also the highest concentration of kaempferol-3-sophoroside-7-glucoside compared with samples dried in the shade. After one year of storage, crocins of samples dried in the shade, had a noticeable decrease, more than 50% of loss, especially its two main molecules: trans− 4-GG-crocins and trans− 3-Gg-crocins. Picrocrocin and kaempferol-3-sophoroside-7-glucoside also decreased whereas safranal increased. It was noticed the increasing of some cis-crocins and the disappearance of trans− 1-g. Results found, support the use of the oven: crocins increase noticeably at 40 °C of dehydration. A similar behavior is obtained for picrocrocin, safranal and kaempferol-3-sophoroside-7-glucoside.

Keywords

Crocus sativus L., Saffron, Dehydration, Storage, HPLC-DAD, Secondary metabolites

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fbio.2018.02.003https://www.researchgate.net/publication/323171416_Effect_of_drying_and_storage_process_on_Moroccan_saffron_quality

Masi E¹, Taiti C², Heimler D³, Vignolini P⁴, Romani A⁵, Mancuso S⁶.

1-Dipartimento di Scienze delle Produzioni Agroalimentari e dell’Ambiente (DISPAA), Università di Firenze, P.le delle Cascine 18, 50144 Florence, Italy. Electronic address: elisa.masi@unfi.it.

2-Dipartimento di Scienze delle Produzioni Agroalimentari e dell’Ambiente (DISPAA), Università di Firenze, P.le delle Cascine 18, 50144 Florence, Italy. Electronic address: cosimo.taiti@unfi.it.

3-Dipartimento di Scienze delle Produzioni Agroalimentari e dell’Ambiente (DISPAA), Università di Firenze, P.le delle Cascine 18, 50144 Florence, Italy. Electronic address: daniela.heimler@unifi.it.

4-Dipartimento di Statistica, Informatica, Applicazioni “G. Parenti” (DISIA), University of Florence, Viale Morgagni 59, 50134 Florence, Italy. Electronic address: Pamela.vignolini@unifi.it.

5-Dipartimento di Statistica, Informatica, Applicazioni “G. Parenti” (DISIA), University of Florence, Viale Morgagni 59, 50134 Florence, Italy. Electronic address: annalisa.romani@unifi.it.

6-Dipartimento di Scienze delle Produzioni Agroalimentari e dell’Ambiente (DISPAA), Università di Firenze, P.le delle Cascine 18, 50144 Florence, Italy. Electronic address: stefano.mancuso@unifi.it.

Abstract

Saffron samples from Italy and Iran were analyzed for their content in aroma and bioactive compounds with different analytical techniques. HPLC was used for the identification and quantification of crocins, picrocrocin, safranal and flavonoids content, while the novel proton transfer reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometer was employed for the aroma compounds analysis. Italian saffron turned out to be richer in total crocins and safranal contents. Sample characterization was performed with an unsupervised statistical approach; tests involving different numbers of parameters deriving from the two analytical techniques were performed. The results achieved showed that the best samples classification was obtained by joining the information acquired from both techniques; following such an approach, a sharper separation between Iranian and Italian samples was achieved. Finally, among the variables that most contribute to the description of variability, isophorone, safranal and picrocrocin were identified to be the most significant.

DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2015.06.090 

https://europepmc.org/abstract/med/26304322

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26304322

https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/PTR-TOF-MS-and-HPLC-analysis-in-the-of-saffron-L.)-Masi-Taiti/2e8ec09940697033d25a6b15b95e74f7763cb2bc?navId=extracted

Bononi M¹, Milella P², Tateo F³.

1-Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Milan, Via Celoria, 2, 20133 Milan, Italy. Electronic address: monica.bononi@unimi.it.

2-Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, S.P. per Casamassima, 70010 Valenzano, BA, Italy.

3-Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Milan, Via Celoria, 2, 20133 Milan, Italy.

Abstract

We present a new extraction protocol, using ethyl alcohol as a solvent, to evaluate safranal by gas chromatography (GC). A linear response was obtained with R(2)=0.995 and a reproducibility standard deviation of 4.7-6.0%. The limit of detection and limit of quantitation were 0.05 and 0.25gkg(-1), respectively. The GC data for several samples of powdered saffron from different origins were compared to specific absorbance values measured according to the ISO Normative 3632-1:2011 method. The aroma strength of saffron samples quantitated by GC and the specific absorbance values of safranal by the UV method did not correlate. Quantitative evaluation of safranal by GC appears to be more specific and useful for commercial comparisons of saffron quality.

Keyword :

GC; Saffron; Safranal; UV

DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2014.12.047

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25624201

https://www.deepdyve.com/lp/elsevier/gas-chromatography-of-safranal-as-preferable-method-for-the-commercial-2TXspwfV1j

https://scinapse.io/papers/2029051367

Zareena, Prasad S. Variyar*, A. S. Gholap, and D. R. Bongirwar

Food Technology Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai 400 085, India

Abstract

Changes in aroma and coloring properties of saffron (Crocus sativus) after γ-irradiation at doses of 2.5 and 5 kGy (necessary for microbial decontamination) were investigated. The volatile essential oil constituents responsible for aroma of the spice were isolated by steam distillation and then subsequently analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). No significant qualitative changes were observed in these constituents upon irradiation, although a trained sensory panel could detect slight quality deterioration at a dose of 5 kGy. Carotene glucosides that impart color to the spice were isolated by solvent extraction and then subjected to thin-layer chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Fractionation of the above pigments into aglycon and glucosides was achieved by using ethyl acetate and n-butanol, respectively. Analysis of these fractions by HPLC revealed a decrease in glucosides and an increase in aglycon content in irradiated samples. The possibility of degradation of pigments during gamma irradiation is discussed.

Keywords:

Carotene glycosides; gamma irradiation; gas chromatography/mass spectrometry; high-performance liquid chromatography; saffron; volatile oil

DOI: 10.1021/jf000922l

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/jf000922l

Laura R.Cagliani^aNicolaCuleddu^bMatildeChessa^bRobertoConsonni^a

a-Istituto per lo Studio delle Macromolecole, Lab. NMR, CNR, v. Bassini 15, 20133 Milan, Italy

b-Istituto di Chimica Biomolecolare, Lab. NMR, CNR, v. La Crucca 3, 07040 Sassari, Italy

Abstract

High-resolution NMR spectroscopy was employed to analyze Italian Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) saffron from L’Aquila, S. Gimignano and Sardinia and commercial saffron samples available on the Italian market. An extensive resonance assignment of DMSO saffron extract was reported, including glucose and gentiobiose in bound and unbound form for the first time. A multivariate statistical analysis of NMR data led to a clustering of samples by performing unsupervised PCA. OPLS-DA model was successively performed to highlight the markers responsible for this discrimination. An analysis of the corresponding S-plot indicated that picrocrocin and crocins were the most relevant compounds for characterizing Italian PDO saffron. By contrast, commercial saffron barely contained these characteristic compounds, and they were primarily enriched in fatty acids..

Keywords:

Saffron, Italian PDO , Quality , NMR, OPLS-DA

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2014.09.017

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0956713514005234

D’Archivio AA¹, Maggi MA².

1-Dipartimento di Scienze Fisiche e Chimiche, Università degli Studi dell’Aquila, Via Vetoio, 67100 Coppito, L’Aquila, Italy. Electronic address: angeloantonio.darchivio@univaq.it.

2-Hortus Novus, Via Collepietro, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy. Electronic address: maria.magg@tiscali.it.

Abstract

We attempted geographical classification of saffron using UV-visible spectroscopy, conventionally adopted for quality grading according to the ISO Normative 3632. We investigated 81 saffron samples produced in L’Aquila, Città della Pieve, Cascia, and Sardinia (Italy) and commercial products purchased in various supermarkets. Exploratory principal component analysis applied to the UV-vis spectra of saffron aqueous extracts revealed a clear differentiation of the samples belonging to different quality categories, but a poor separation according to the geographical origin of the spices. On the other hand, linear discriminant analysis based on 8 selected absorbance values, concentrated near 279, 305 and 328nm, allowed a good distinction of the spices coming from different sites. Under severe validation conditions (30% and 50% of saffron samples in the evaluation set), correct predictions were 85 and 83%, respectively.

Keywords:

Geographical origin; ISO quality standard; Linear discriminant analysis; Saffron; UV–visible spectroscopy

DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2016.09.169

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27765245

https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Geographical-identification-of-saffron-(Crocus-L.)-D%27Archivio-Maggi/92e75446604b678f4676499332787a8c1c00eb66

Angelo AntonioD’Archivio^aAndreaGiannitto^aMaria AnnaMaggi^bFabrizioRuggieri^a

a-Dipartimento di Scienze Fisiche e Chimiche, Università degli Studi dell’Aquila, Via Vetoio, 67010 Coppito, L’Aquila, Italy

b-Hortus Novus, Via Collepietro, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy

Abstract

One hundred and forty-four Italian saffron samples produced in the years from 2009 to 2015 in five distinct areas located in four different regions, Abruzzo (L’Aquila), Tuscany (Florence), Umbria (Cascia and Città della Pieve) and Sardinia, have been analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection. Intensities of the chromatographic peaks attributed to crocins, safranal, picrocrocin and its derivatives and flavonoids were considered as variables in linear discriminant analysis to attempt geographical classification. The results revealed that spices produced at different sites of the Italian territory can be discriminated with good accuracy. The differentiation of saffron cultivated in Sardinia from those produced in Central Italy was mainly attributed to different contents of the most abundant crocins. Good differentiation of spices produced in close sites of Central Italy was also observed, 88% of validation samples being correctly classified; some minor crocins are responsible for such discrimination.

Keywords:

 Italian saffron , High-performance liquid-chromatography , Geographical classification , Linear discriminant analysis

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2016.05.149

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030881461630838X?via%3Dihub

E,Anastasaki^{1 ,} C. Kanakis^{1 ,} C. Pappas¹ ,  L. Maggi ²   , C. P. del Campo ² , M. Carmona ² , G. L. Alonso ² , M. G. Polissiou ²

1.Laboratory of Chemistry, Department of ScienceAgricultural University of AthensAthensGreece

2.Cátedra de Química Agrícola, E.T.S.I. AgrónomosUniversidad Castilla-La ManchaAlbaceteSpain

Abstract

Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is a valuable crop in Iran and worldwide. Due to a rising production rate of saffron flowers and limitation of harvesting time, the best storage conditions should be determined. In this research, saffron flowers were harvested at semi-bloom form stage, and placed in plastic baskets, in two different thickness accumulations (10 and 15 cm). The flowers were stored at 0, 4, 8 and 21 ˚C for after 2, 4, 7, 14 and 21 days. During storage period, weight loss percentage was calculated. In addition, the stigmas were separated from the styles and dried in an oven at 60 o C. Bioactive compounds such as crocin, picrocrocin and safranal, and coliform enumeration were evaluated. The result indicated that weight loss percentage increased with increasing storage thickness, temperature and storage duration; however bioactive compounds reduced. The crocin and picrocrocin content were registered 298.73 and 100, respectively, when flowers were stored at 0 o C for 21 days. These values at 8 o C and 21 o C were not in the standard range; therefore these temperatures were not found suitable for flower storing. Although coliform contamination increased during storage days, the value was acceptable after 7 days. According to the results, it is recommended to store saffron flowers in basket with 10 cm Thickness Accumulation (TA) at 0 o C for 7 days.

Keywords:

 Botany,Shelf life, Engineering ,Crop ,Horticulture ,Stigma (botany) ,Crocin ,Crocus sativus ,Picrocrocin ,Safranal

https://scinapse.io/papers/2186340847

https://cuisinedocbox.com/Cuisine_Specific/67046375-Effect-of-cold-storage-on-saffron-flowers-shelf-life-and-dried-stigma-quality.html

https://www.textroad.com/pdf/JAEBS/J.%20Appl.%20Environ.%20Biol.%20Sci.,%204(12S)14-19,%202015.pdf

Authors : M.H. Nejad

Department of Food Technology, Iranian Research Organization for Science and Technology, Mashhad,Iran

Abstract

In this study, microwave technology in saffron drying has been investigated. To carry out this research, fresh saffron samples were treated with microwave in six different powers. Also one sample was dried by traditional method as a reference.
Comparison between microwave assisted drying with traditional methods was studied by measurement of color, aroma and flavor intensity, and also total microbial count, yeast and mold contamination according to standard methods.
The results showed that microwave dried samples were significantly better than the samples dried in traditional methods. So there was significant difference between the reference sample and the others whom treated by microwave (p<0.01). So it has been resulted that by using microwave energy, drying efficiency could be improved and microbial contamination of saffron samples would be decreased

Keywords:

aroma, color, drying, flavor intensity

DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2004.650.43

https://www.actahort.org/books/650/650_43.htm

https://cuisinedocbox.com/Cuisine_Specific/67046419-Evaluation-of-quality-characteristics-and-microbial-contamination-of-saffron-samples-dried-by-microwave.html

Manuel Carmona, Amaya Zalacain, José Emilio Pardo, Eulogio López, Andrés Alvarruiz, and Gonzalo Luis Alonso*

ETSI Agrónomos, Universidad Castilla−La Mancha, 02071 Albacete, Spain

Abstract

A dehydration postharvesting treatment is necessary to convert Crocus sativus L. stigmas into saffron spice. Three different dehydration treatments were evaluated:  dehydration at room temperature; dehydration with hot air at different temperatures (70, 90, and 110 °C); and dehydration following traditional processing in Castille−La Mancha (Spain) with three different heating sources (vineshoot charcoal, gas cooker, and electric coil). The time (between 28 and 55 min) and mean temperature (between 54 and 83 °C) conditions for traditional dehydration were established for the first time. The highest coloring strength was obtained when saffron was submitted to higher temperatures and lower times. These findings may be supported by the fact that samples dehydrated at high temperature were more porous than those dehydrated at room temperature, as was observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The higher the temperature during the process, the higher the proportion of trans-crocetin di-(β-d-gentibiosyl) ester, although trans-crocetin (β-d-glucosyl)-(β-d-gentibiosyl) and trans-crocetin di-(β-d-glucosyl) ester decrease while cis-crocins did not change significantly. A thermal aging process reveals that the trans-crocetin di-(β-d-gentibiosyl) ester increases when saffron is resubmitted to a heating treatment before it is decomposed by the extreme conditions. The picrocrocin extinction during the aging process does not imply a consistent generation of safranal.

Keywords:

Dehydration temperature; saffron; crocins; safranal; picrocrocin

DOI: 10.1021/jf0404748

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf0404748

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15884826

Annamaria Giorgi, Daniela Pentimalli, Luca Giupponi, Sara Panseri

Received December 1, 2016; accepted January 13, 2017

-Corresponding author: Daniela Pentimalli,Centre for Applied  Studies in the Sustainable Management and Protection of the Mountain Environment-Ge.S.Di.Mont.- University of Milan, Via Morino 8, 25048 Edolo, Brescia, Italy,  E-mail: daniela.pentimalli@unimi.it 

-Annamaria Giorgi, Luca Giupponi,Centre for Applied Studies in the Sustainable Management and Protection of the Mountain Environ-ment-Ge.S.Di.Mont.- University of Milan, Via Morino 8, 25048 Edolo, Brescia, Italy

– Sara Panseri, Department of Health, Animal Science and Food Safety (VESPA)-University of Milan, Via Celoria 10, 20133 Milan, Italy

Abstract

Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is a perennial herbaceous geophyte in the Iridaceae family. It propagates vegetatively by corm. All saffron production processes are generally conducted by hand: from bulb implantation, harvesting of flowers to stigma separation. Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world because of the intensive hand labour required for production. The increasing interest in Crocus sativus cultivation and production in the Italian Alpine area could increase revenues for the rural farming economy. Twenty eight dried saffron samples were collected from different farmers of the Italian Alpine area (Lombardia, Trentino Alto Adige, Piemonte and Veneto) between November 2015 and March 2016. Each sample was processed to determine their moisture content and amount of picrocrocin, crocins and safranal using the methods established by the International Organization for Standardization for saffron (ISO 3632 1,2:2010-2011). Over 82.1 % of the samples analyzed were ranked in the highest quality category of the ISO 3632. A high quality saffron product can be produced in the Italian Alpine area suggesting that this crop could serve as a sustainable source of economic revenues to diversified farms in the Alps.

Keywords:

 Saffron; Crocus sativus L.; ISO 3632 1,2:2010-2011; picrocrocin; crocins; safranal; UV-Vis Spectrophotometry; Alps

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1515/opag-2017-0005

https://www.degruyter.com/downloadpdf/j/opag.2017.2.issue-1/opag-2017-0005/opag-2017-0005.pdf

https://www.degruyter.com/view/j/opag.2017.2.issue-1/opag-2017-0005/opag-2017-0005.xml

Quality traits of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) produced in the Italian Alps

  Hamid Reza Feili, Ebrahim Molaee Aghaee, Aghdas Taslimi

International Journal of Renewable Energy Research (IJRER)

*Hamid Reza Feili : Karaj Branch, Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran · Department of Industrial Engineering

Abstract

Saffron is the most expensive spice and is highly valuable for non-oil export. Drying process is a critical control point with major effects on chemical and microbiological characteristics, so an appropriate drying method shall meet standard and market requirements as well as cost benefit. Different methods include traditional, freeze, solar, vacuum oven and microwave drying. Solar drying is performed in direct or indirect way. In the 1st way, sunlight is directly exposured with product chamber, while in the later, sun light is stored in solar collectors and then warm air flow is pumped to product chamber. Results by spectroscopy for colour agent (Crocin), odour agent (Saffranal) and flavour agent (Picrocrocin) indicated that solar drying represents high values. Moisture content taken as a key factor of dehydration was detected below permitted standard level. Microbiological profile in solar drying was in compliance with standard and in acceptable level. Optimum drying condition was achieved for 6-6.5 hours in 35-45 o C. Since all microbial safety and chemical quality properties of saffron are preserved in solar drying and also considering energy saving and the resulted cost benefit of this system, it could be introduced as an appropriate drying method in producing rural and collecting sites of saffron.

http://ijrer.org/ijrer/index.php/ijrer/article/download/326/pdf

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=5vV5Vd8AAAAJ&hl=en

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/287339917_Study_of_chemical_and_microbiological_properties_of_saffron_dehydrated_by_using_solar_drying_system

https://ijrer.org/ijrer/index.php/ijrer/article/view/326

C Priscila del Campo, Manuel Carmona , Charalabos D Kanakis , Eirini G Anastasaki , Petros A Tarantilis , Moschos G Polissiou , Gonzalo L Alonso

Cátedra de Química Agrícola, ETSI Agrónomos de Albacete, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Campus Universitario, 02071 Albacete, Spain.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The dehydration procedure is responsible for saffron sensorial properties: colour, taste and aroma. Changes in the compounds responsible for these characteristics have been studied when dehydration processes at high and low temperature are employed. However, the evolution of these changes at mild temperatures is not available in the current bibliography. In this paper the effect of different mild conditions (18–20 °C for 24 h, 40–50 °C for 75 min and 55 °C for 75 min) applied to 45 saffron samples with the same origin was investigated.

RESULTS: Crocetin esters, the compounds responsible for saffron colour, increased their content with no significant differences from other processes when high temperatures (55 °C) were used, thus producing a noticeable increment in saffron colouring capability. Similar behaviour was obtained for picrocrocin, the compound responsible for saffron taste, with higher average content at the highest temperature (55 °C) but without significant differences with the inferior conditions (40–50 °C). However, more volatile compounds were generated, especially safranal,at higher temperatures, e.g. 55 °C, during the dehydration procedure.

CONCLUSIONS: The results found support the idea for employing mild to high temperatures during the dehydration process of saffron

DOI :  https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.3877

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/jsfa.3877

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20355104

https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Effects-of-mild-temperature-conditions-during-on-Campo-Carmona/a7358f83f15332a41efd2c1dceccca26ad4154a1

    Yingpeng Tong,¹ Xingyi Zhu,¹ Yongqiu Yan,¹ Ruoxi Liu,¹ Feng Gong,² Ling Zhang,² Jiangning Hu,³ Ling Fang,³ Ruwei Wang,³ and Ping Wang¹

¹College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University of Technology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta Region Green Pharmaceuticals, Hangzhou 310014, China
²Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33124, USA
³Zhejiang CONBA Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Hangzhou 310000, China

Received 10 November 2014; Accepted 18 March 2015

Abstract
More and more saffron has been cultivated in China because of the increasing saffron demand, but no paper has studied the influence of drying methods on the quality of Chinese saffron. In this paper, three different dehydration treatments applied in actual production were evaluated: dehydration with electric oven, vacuum oven, and microwave. We determined that the highest quality of saffron will be obtained when fresh saffron is treated at higher temperatures (no more than 70°C) for a long time by electric oven drying and vacuum oven drying. In microwave drying, treatments at lower microwave power and longer time benefit the quality of saffron. In addition, the influence of the drying method on antioxidants in saffron is discussed. The correlation between individual saffron profiles and the antioxidant value was estimated by spectrum-effect relationships analysis.

Keywords

Drying , Antioxidants , Electric ovens , Microwaves , Ovens , Dehydration , Vacuum , Temperature

DOI :  http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/953164

https://miami.pure.elsevier.com/en/publications/the-influence-of-different-drying-methods-on-constituents-and-ant

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijac/2015/953164/

  Andrés Alvarruiz ,Cándida Lorenzo ,Gonzalo Alonso ,Jessica Serrano-Díaz

   Andrés Alvarruiz :Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha –ID :  http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7322-9955

Abstract

The kinetics of hot air drying of saffron floral bio-residues was studied at two air drying temperatures (70 and 90ºC) and four air flow rates (2, 4, 6 and 8 m·s-1). No constant-rate drying period was observed during drying. Ten thin-layer drying models and the theoretical Fick’s diffusion model were fitted by non-linear regression to drying data. Three statistical parameters, Chi-squared, correlation coefficient and relative percentage deviation were used to compare the models. Effective moisture diffusivity, calculated using the Fick’s diffusion model, was in the range 0.78-1.86 x 10-10 m2·s-1. According to the statistical parameters, three drying models (the logarithmic, two-term and Midilli-Kucuk) were equally good to describe the drying curve and fitted the data better than the other models. The model constants were independent form air flow rate. The use of air at 90ºC decreased drying time in half compared with drying at 70ºC.

Keywords

Saffron; Floral waste; Drying; Thin layer models

DOI :  https://doi.org/10.14674/1120-1770/ijfs.v351 

https://www.chiriottieditori.it/ojs/index.php/ijfs/article/view/351

PDF : https://www.chiriottieditori.it/ojs/index.php/ijfs/article/view/351/144

Masi^a,C.Taiti^a1, D.Heimler^a2, P.Vignolini^b3,A.Romani^b3, S.Mancuso^a1a

a-Dipartimento di Scienze delle Produzioni Agroalimentari e dell’Ambiente (DISPAA), Università di Firenze, P.le delle Cascine 18, 50144 Florence, Italy

b-Dipartimento di Statistica, Informatica, Applicazioni “G. Parenti” (DISIA), University of Florence, Viale Morgagni 59, 50134 Florence, Italy

Abstract

Saffron samples from Italy and Iran were analyzed for their content in aroma and bioactive compounds with different analytical techniques. HPLC was used for the identification and quantification of crocins, picrocrocin, safranal and flavonoids content, while the novel proton transfer reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometer was employed for the aroma compounds analysis. Italian saffron turned out to be richer in total crocins and safranal contents. Sample characterization was performed with an unsupervised statistical approach; tests involving different numbers of parameters deriving from the two analytical techniques were performed. The results achieved showed that the best samples classification was obtained by joining the information acquired from both techniques; following such an approach, a sharper separation between Iranian and Italian samples was achieved. Finally, among the variables that most contribute to the description of variability, isophorone, safranal and picrocrocin were identified to be the most significant.

Keywords

Crocus sativus, Saffron, Geographic discrimination, High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), Proton transfer reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometer (PTR-TOF-MS), Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2015.06.090

https://europepmc.org/abstract/med/26304322

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814615009826?via%3Dihub

https://www.tib.eu/en/search/id/elsevier%3Adoi~10.1016%252Fj.foodchem.2015.06.090/PTR-TOF-MS-and-HPLC-analysis-in-the-characterization/

Bosmali I¹, Ordoudi SA², Tsimidou MZ², Madesis P³.

1-Laboratory of Food Chemistry and Technology, School of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; Institute of Applied Biosciences, CERTH, Thermi, GR-570 01 Thessaloniki, Greece.

2-Laboratory of Food Chemistry and Technology, School of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-54124 Thessaloniki, Greece.

3-Institute of Applied Biosciences, CERTH, Thermi, GR-570 01 Thessaloniki, Greece. Electronic address: pmadesis@certh.gr.

Abstract

Saffron, the spice produced from the red stigmas of the flower of Crocus sativus L. is a frequent target of fraud and mislabeling practices that cannot be fully traced using the ISO 3632 trade standard specifications and test methods. A molecular approach is proposed herein as a promising branding strategy for the authentication of highly esteemed saffron brands such as the Greek Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) “Krokos Kozanis”. Specific ISSR (inter-simple sequence repeat) markers were used to assess for the first time, the within species variability of several populations of C. sativus L. from the cultivation area of “Krokos Kozanis” as well as the potential differences with the band pattern produced by other Crocus species. Then, species-specific markers were developed taking advantage of an advanced molecular technique such as the HRM analysis coupled with universal DNA barcoding regions (trnL) (Bar-HRM) and applied to saffron admixtures with some of the most common plant adulterants (Calendula officinalis, Carthamus tinctorius, Gardenia jasminoides, Zea mays and Curcuma longa). The sensitivity of the procedure was tested for turmeric as a case study whereas HPLC-fluorescence determination of secondary metabolites was also employed for comparison. The overall results indicated that the Bar-HRM approach is quite effective in terms of specificity and sensitivity. Its effectiveness regarding the detection of turmeric was comparable to that of a conventional HPLC method (0.5% vs 1.0%, w/w). Yet, the proposed DNA-based method is much faster, cost-effective and can be used even by non-geneticists, in any laboratory having access to an HRM-capable real-time PCR instrumentation. It can be, thus, regarded as a strong analytical tool in saffron authentication studies

Keyword :  

Curcuma longa; DNA barcoding; HRM analysis; Plant adulterants; RP-HPLC; Saffron fraud

DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2017.08.001

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28873765

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0963996917304222?via%3Dihub

  K.Melfou^a ,,E.Loizou^a, E.Oxouzi^a,E.Papanagiotou^b

a-Department of Agricultural Technology, Technological Education Institute of Western Macedonia, Terma Kondopoulou, Florina 53100, Greece

b-Department of Agricultural Economics, School of Agriculture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki,54124 Thessaloniki, Greece

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to examine the economic performance of Greek PDO saffron farms by estimating their technical efficiency with the application of DEA methodology. The survey was conducted in 2012-2013 in the PDO designated area of Kozani in Western Macedonia, which is the only area the product is being cultivated. Data were collected with personal interviews by means of a structured questionnaire, from a sample of 100 saffron farms. Results indicate that average technical efficiency under constant returns to scale is 0.627 in the sample and farms could have achieved the same level of output using 37% less inputs.

Keyword : 

technical efficiency,Data Envelopment ,Analysis,Protected designation of origin saffron

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S2212-5671(15)00698-X

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221256711500698X

https://plu.mx/plum/a/?doi=10.1016/S2212-5671(15)00698-X

Annamaria Giorgi, Daniela Pentimalli, Luca Giupponi, Sara Panseri

*Corresponding author: Daniela Pentimalli, Centre for Applied

Studies in the Sustainable Management and Protection of the

Mountain Environment-Ge.S.Di.Mont.- University of Milan, Via

Morino 8, 25048 Edolo, Brescia, Italy,

E-mail: daniela.pentimalli@unimi.it

Annamaria Giorgi, Luca Giupponi, Centre for Applied Studies in the

Sustainable Management and Protection of the Mountain Environment-Ge.S.Di.Mont.- University of Milan, Via Morino 8, 25048 Edolo, Brescia, Italy

Sara Panseri, Department of Health, Animal Science and Food Safety

(VESPA)-University of Milan, Via Celoria 10, 20133 Milan, Italy

Abstract

Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is a perennial herbaceous geophyte in the Iridaceae family. It propagates vegetatively by corm. All saffron production processes are generally conducted by hand: from bulb implantation, harvesting of flowers to stigma separation. Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world because of the intensive hand labour required for production. The increasing interest in Crocus sativus cultivation and production in the Italian Alpine area could increase revenues for the rural farming economy. Twenty eight dried saffron samples were collected from different farmers of the Italian Alpine area (Lombardia, Trentino Alto Adige, Piemonte and Veneto) between November 2015 and March 2016. Each sample was processed to determine their moisture content and amount of picrocrocin, crocins and safranal using the methods established by the International Organization for Standardization for saffron (ISO 3632 1,2:2010-2011). Over 82.1 % of the samples analyzed were ranked in the highest quality category of the ISO 3632. A high quality saffron product can be produced in the Italian Alpine area suggesting that this crop could serve as a sustainable source of economic revenues to diversified farms in the Alps.

Keywords:  

Saffron; Crocus sativus L.; ISO 3632 1,2:2010-2011; picrocrocin; crocins; safranal; UV-Vis Spectrophotometry; Alps

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/opag-2017-0005

https://www.degruyter.com/view/j/opag.2017.2.issue-1/opag-2017-0005/opag-2017-0005.xml

https://www.degruyter.com/downloadpdf/j/opag.2017.2.issue-1/opag-2017-0005/opag-2017-0005.pdf

Quality traits of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) produced in the Italian Alps

Heidarbeigi, Kobra , Mohtasebi, Seyed Saeid , Serrano-Diaz, Jessica , Medina-Plaza, Cristina , Ghasemi-Varnamkhasti, Mahdi , Alonso, Gonzalo
Sponsor: University of Tehran
Iranian Ministry of Science
Research and Technology and Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation
MICCIN (Madrid)
Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad – FEDER (Grant CICYT AGL2012-33535)
Junta de Castilla y León (programa de apoyo a proyectos de investigación – Ref. VA-032U13)
University of Valladolid (PIF-UVa)

Abstract

In this study, a portable electronic tongue was developed and successfully used to distinguish and to discriminate quality of saffron samples. The proposed system consisted of an array of voltammetric sensors based on screen-printed electrodes (SPE), where the working electrodes were of different chemical natures (e.g. carbon, gold and modified carbon electrode). Moreover, the carbon electrodes were chemically modified by electrocatalytic copper phthalocyanine derivatives. The electrodes were immersed in saffron infusions to produce complex voltammetric curves that were characterised for each saffron sample. The electrochemical signals provided by the array showed good correlations with the data obtained from traditional chemical analysis, in particular with the kaempferol, a flavonol with antioxidant activity. The calibration model was optimised using more meaningful description of factors. Finally, discriminant analysis showed that the proposed e-tongue based on SPEs modified with phthalocyanine is useful for discrimination of saffron samples with different qualities. All of these results reveal that proposed e-tongue has a high potential for saffron quality control due to its very simple sample preparation and also its fast response

Keywords:

electronic tongue, saffron, screen printed electrode, principal component analysis

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3920/QAS2015.0591

https://www.wageningenacademic.com/doi/10.3920/QAS2015.0591

http://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/21132

Eleonora Urbani, Francesca Blasi, Claudia Chiesi, Angela Maurizi & Lina Cossignani

To cite this article: Eleonora Urbani, Francesca Blasi, Claudia Chiesi, Angela Maurizi

&Lina Cossignani (2015) Characterization of Volatile Fraction of Saffron from Central Italy (Cascia, Umbria), International Journal of Food Properties

Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via San Costanzo, Perugia, Italy

Abstract

Saffron, the world’s most expensive spice, is valuable for its color, taste, aroma, and properties, which are influenced by the postharvest treatments. In this research solid-phase micro-extraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was performed to analyze saffron produced in the area of Cascia, central Italy. The samples were dried under different conditions as a function of time and temperature. The main volatiles in addition to safranal were isophorone, 4-ketoisophorone, and 2,2,6-trimethyl-1,4-cyclohexanedione. In some samples, two new compounds (2,4,4-trimethyl-1- pentene and 1,3,3-trimethyl-7-oxabicyclo[4.1.0]heptane-2,5-dione) were identified. Their content increased with drying temperature and time and they could be characteristic of saffron produced in the selected geographical area. Moreover the results confirmed that the drying conditions strongly influenced saffron volatile profile.

Keywords:

 Saffron, Drying, Aroma, Volatile analysis, SPME-GC-MS.

DOI: 10.1080/10942912.2014.968787

ISSN: 1094-2912 (Print) 1532-2386 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/ljfp20

To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/10942912.2014.968787

Received 28 May 2014; accepted 20 September 2014.

Address correspondence to Lina Cossignani, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Section of Food Science and Nutrition,Via San Costanzo, Perugia, 06126, Italy. E-mail: lina.cossignani@unipg.it

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/272386373_Characterization_of_Volatile_Fraction_of_Saffron_from_Central_Italy_Cascia_Umbria

Perez-Vidal^1*, L. Gracia², C. Gracia²

1-Universidad Miguel Hernández, Avda. de la Universidad s/n, Quorum V Building, 03202 Elche-Alicante, Spain

2-Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain

*Corresponding author: carlos.perez@umh.es

Abstract

This paper presents a computer vision system to obtain, using image analysis, the optimal cutting point of saffron flowers in order to obtain their stigmas. For this purpose, an effective and flexible computer program has been developed to process the flower image in order to obtain the cutting point to be sent to the cutting element. Furthermore, experimentation with real saffron flowers has been carried out in order to validate the developed application. In particular, the tests show that the method has good robustness and high success percentage in the flower characterization regardless the shape and size of the flower. The high image processing rate of the proposed method (20 computations s–1) would allow to greatly increase the production rate obtained with an automated cutting system compared to that obtained with the traditional hand method.

Keywords:

 Saffron ,Geographical differentiation FT-IR Principal component analysis Discriminant analysis 

DOI.. 10.5424/sjar/20110904-119-11

http://revistas.inia.es/index.php/sjar/article/downloadSuppFile/1577/140

https://docplayer.net/63592124-Short-communication-computer-vision-applied-to-saffron-flower-crocus-sativus-l-processing.html

Pamela Vignolini^a, Daniela Heimler^b, Patrizia Pinelli^a, Francesca Ieri^a, Arturo Sciullo^c and Annalisa Romani*

^a-Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi di Firenze, via U. Schiff 6, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy

^b-Dipartimento di Scienza del Suolo e Nutrizione della Pianta, Università degli Studi di Firenze, P.le delle Cascine 18, 50144 Firenze, Italy

^c-ARPAT, Agenzia Regionale per la Protezione Ambientale della Toscana, via Ponte alle Mosse 211, 50144 Firenze, Italy

annalisa.romani@unifi.it

Abstract

The stigma, stamens and sepals of Crocus sativus L,. from two different geographical origins, were analyzed for their crocin and flavonol contents. Identification of crocins, safranal, picrocrocin, and flavonols was carried out by HPLC/DAD and HPLC/MS analysis. Both stigma samples, grown under natural conditions, exhibited high crocin contents (between 342 and 231 mg/g), while the stamens and sepals were rich in flavonols (between 6 and 10 mg/g). The stamens contain mainly kaempferol- 3-O-sophoroside, whereas the sepals contain mainly quercetin and methyl-quercetin glycosides. These data may be useful in order to find a possible exploitation of the by-products of saffron production, in which large quantities of C. sativus flowers are available

Keywords:

 Crocins, flavonols, HPLC/DAD/MS, sepals, stamens, stigma.

https://flore.unifi.it/handle/2158/356794#.XIYIj8LVDIU

Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/2158/356794

https://flore.unifi.it/retrieve/handle/2158/356794/10440/3-12-1959-2008.pdf

• Autori : Elisa Masi^a ; Daniela Heimler^a; Pamela Vignolini^b; Annalisa Romani ^b; Stefano^a Mancuso

^aDipartimento di Scienze delle Produzioni Agroalimentari e dell’Ambiente

(DISPAA), Università di Firenze, P.le delle Cascine 18, 50144 Florence, Italy.

 ^bDipartimento di Statistica, Informatica, Applicazioni “G. Parenti” (DISIA), University of Florence, Viale Morgagni 59, 50134 Florence, Italy

Abstract

Saffron is an expensive spice obtained from the dried stigmas of the flower of Crocus sativus L. primarily used in cooking, although it is well known for its medicinal purposes, it is also utilized for its color in dyes and paints and for its scent in perfumes [1]. Iran is one of the most important producers, distributing low price saffron all over the world. Saffron quality is determined by colour, taste, and aroma, which depend on many factors such as soil, climate, rainfall, harvest time, and finally postharvest treatments [2,3,4].

In the present study, the aromatic profiles of saffron from three Iranian regions were compared with samples produced in three Italian regions (samples were provided by Associazione Zafferano Italiano). The characterization was performed with a PTR-MS-TOF analyzer, a non-invasive approach that allows the achievement of whole mass spectra of volatiles with high resolution power, leading to a better interpretation of mass spectra [5]. About 30 molecules have been detected, most of which already published. Only five fragments have been found (6), confirming the low fragmentation characteristic of the PTR-MS-TOF analysis. Furthermore, mass identified as 4-hydroxy-2,6,6-trimethyl-1-cyclohexen-1- carboxaldehyde (HTCC), the aglycone precursor of safranal, was not present in all the samples, indicating quality in the transformation process. All volatiles detected have been subjected to classification analysis (principal component analysis, PCA and discriminant analysis, DA) in order to extract relevant information from complex data sets, and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) was also used to show similarity between samples. Samples from Iran, grouped accordingly to their geographic origin, appeared to have many common volatiles. Samples from Italy, despite grouping separately from those from Iran, formed three distinct groups.

These results show the potentiality of PTR-MS-TOF analysis as a helpful tool to discriminate saffron samples with different geographical origins.

[1]Xi L, Qian Z. (2006) Nat Prod Commun, 1, 65-75.

[2]Carmona M, et al. (2005) J. Agric. Food Chem. 53, 3974-3979.

[3]Bolandi M, Ghoddusi H.B. (2006) Dev Food Sci, 42, 323-326.

[4]Carmona M, et al. (2007) Food Chem, 100, 445-450.

[5]Lindinger W, et al. (1998) Chem Soc Rev 27: 347-354.

[6]Tarantilis P.A.,Polissiou M.G.(1997). J Agric. Food Chem. 45, 459-462

https://flore.unifi.it/handle/2158/978028#.XIYNXMLVDIU

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/264161895_PTR-MS-TOF_analysis_for_the_characterization_of_saffron_from_different_geographycal_origins

http://www.academia.edu/21507985/PTR-MS-TOF_analysis_for_the_characterization_of_saffron_from_different_geographycal_origins

Matthias Lechtenberg¹ , Dirk Schepmann² , Michael Niehues¹ , Nils Hellenbrand¹ , Bernhard Wünsch² , Andreas Hensel¹

¹Institute for Pharmaceutical Biology and Phytochemistry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany

²Institute for Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany

Abstract

Extracts from saffron, the dried stigmata from Crocus sativus L., are being used more and more in preclinical and clinical trials for the treatment of cancer and depression. Because of the known quality problems of saffron, HPLC methods on RP(18) 2.5 microm and monolithic RP(18) material have been developed and validated for quality control including the quantification of crocins 1 to 5, crocetin, picrocrocin and the degradation products, the CIS-crocins. Additionally, a GC-MS method has allowed detection and quantification of the volatile compounds from the pentane extract of saffron. Both systems together allowed the comprehensive characterisation of saffron herbal material and extracts for clinical/preclinical trials. For effective preparation of the respective reference standards, a fast centrifugal partition chromatography (FCPC) method was developed allowing the quick isolation of crocins 1, 2, 5 and picrocrocin in good yields. Using these chromatographic methods and the reference standards, a representative survey of saffron from the global market indicated a high variability of quality, especially concerning the amounts of volatile compounds in saffron samples. A specification for high-quality saffron of >20% crocins, >6% picrocrocin and not less than 0.3% of volatiles, calculated as sum of safranal, isophorone and ketoisophorone, was developed. Because no detailed pharmacological studies are available to explain the clinical effects of saffron for the treatment of cancer and depression, receptor binding studies were performed. Saffron extracts and crocetin had a clear binding capacity at the PCP binding side of the NMDA receptor and at the sigma(1) receptor, while the crocins and picrocrocin were not effective. These data could give biochemical support for the above-mentioned pharmacological effects of saffron.

Keywords:

Crocus sativus L. – Iridaceae – saffron – NMDA receptor – σ₁ (sigma-1) receptor – crocins

DOI: 10.1055/s-2008-1074535

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18496783

https://www.thieme-connect.com/products/ejournals/pdf/10.1055/s-2008-1074535.pdf