1. Description:

The product is a yellow orange powder, 100% natural, with a characteristic smell and flavour, made from a freeze dried extract of saffron. Saffron is the dried stigma of the Crocus Sativus Linnaeus, a perennial plant of the iridaceous family with tubular purple flowers and in the centre of the flower is a pale yellow stem which becomes the three orange red stigmas that once dried is the spice known as saffron. 160,000 - 220,000 of these fresh flowers are needed to make one kilo of dried saffron. The word saffron, or azafrán in Spanish comes from the Arabic word “zafarán” which means yellow and from “saharfarm” meaning sane thread. Saffron gives an attractive colour to food and adds an exquisite aroma and flavour. It is an essential ingredient in French Bouillabaisse, Spanish Paella and Italian Rissotto.

The colour comes from the crocine, the aroma from the safranal and the characteristic bitter flavour from the picrocrocine.

2. Properties:

Saffron is used in food as a natural food colorant and for its aroma and flavour.

In medicine it is used for both preventative and curative means in the treatment of a wide range of illnesses ranging from arthritis to impotence and infertility. It is well known for its aphrodisiac properties and is used throughout Asia, particularly in Chinese and Tibetan medicine.

It is used in medicine to reduce inflammations and urinary infections, in menstrual disorders, to strengthen the heart and cool the brain. It is also used the treatment of diabetes.

It is used in remedies for asthma and coughs, in the treatment of alcoholism, acne and other skin disorders. Thanks to the crocetinas it can help reduce cholesterol levels in the blood and increase the body’s anti-virus defence system.

Studies based on Urdang’s works on ancient and Medieval times show anti-tumour and anti-cancer properties . In ancient Egypt saffron was used in cases of kidney problems as mentioned in Eber’s Papyrus (Ca 1550 BC).

3. Identification:

Synonyms: C. I. 75100 ; Natural Yellow 6 ; Cas No.: 8022-19-3

Seccion: 73500; Saffron, code of federal regulation.
Safrante is the dried stigma of saffron (Crocus Sativus. L.) and is uscd as a natural food colorant which is contemplated in the Directive 1999/75/ CE and it code of identification is E-160-a “Carotenos de Plantas".

4. References:

Hartwell, J.L., 1969, Plant used against Cancer, A Survey, Lloydia 32(3) : 252-54 Zarghami, N.S. & Heinz, D.E., 1971, Phytochemistry, 10: 2755-2761 Baker, D & Negbi, M., 1983, Eco. Bot; 37 (2): 228-36 Bauman, B.B., 1960, Eco Bot., 14: 84-104

José Bueno (Studie about natural food colorant) Gordon HT, Bouemfeimd,J.C. 1982. Carotenoides as food colorants, Crit Rev, Food SCI Nutr 18-59 Peto Doll, R, Bucley, JD., Sporn, M.B 1981. Ean Dietary, Betacaroteno materially reduce human cancer. Rates Nature 290,201,208.

TLC. Preparative purificacion of Picrocrocin, HTLC. And crocin from saffron José Luis Iborra, M. Rosario Castellar, Manuel Canovas and Arturo Majón (1991) Spain.

Preparative High- perfomance liquid cromatographics purification of saffron secondary metabolites M. R. Castellar, H. Montijano a Manlljón and J.L. Iborra (1993). Departament of biochemistry an molecular biology, facultity of Chemistry, university of Murcia, Spain.

Norma official mexicana, safran crocine -crocetine Crocus Sativus S. Color natural yellow 6-Norm-119-SSAI-1994.