Abstract
This study involved 270 samples of saffron from Spain and other leading producers (Greece, India, Iran, Italy and Morocco). The Spanish samples were obtained directly from the producers while the foreign samples were acquired with the guarantee of their origin and lack of adulteration. The tradi tional physical parameters indicated in quality regulations were analyzed and ranges were estab lished for each one (style length, stigma length, stigma percentage, moisture content at 40 and 103 °C, percentage of volatile matter and percentage of ash). The terms 'total filament', 'mass' and 'stigma mass' are proposed as being more specific than the simple term 'mass' which is used in the quality regulations; the parameter lineal filament density is also defined. The saffron grown in the provinces of Cuenca and Albacete (Castilla-La Mancha region, Spain) showed the highest percentage of stigma length. The lower stigma mass of Spanish saffrons compared with saffron from other countries indi cated that more flowers are necessary to obtain the same weight of spice. The highest values of the percentage of volatile matter were obtained in Iranian and Spanish saffrons. A greater range of ash percentage than indicated in the quality regulations was obtained.
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