Chapter 2 - Antioxidant activities of bioactive compounds and various extracts obtained from saffron

Abstract

Crocus sativus is a plant from Iridaceae family that blooms in the autumn and does not grow in the wild. The plant is mostly cultivated because of red flower stigmas that after drying make the highly valued saffron spice with the unique organoleptic attributes, also named as “red gold.” As the synthetic antioxidants became a matter of safety concern for usage in the food industry, the attention of scientists was drawn to further exploration of the antioxidant power and health benefits of antioxidants from herbs and spices. The chemical composition of stigmas, related to primary and secondary metabolites, make saffron a rich source of distinct bioactive compounds with pronounced antioxidant properties. Among them, crocin, crocetin, picrocrocin, and safranal are the most important ones that contribute to sensory properties of saffron. Literature data suggest that stigmas (saffron spice) posses a great antioxidant potential expressed through in vitro and in vivo assays. On the other hand, there is an increasing number of studies showing that saffron processing waste and plant “specific parts” may be a rich source of bioactive compounds with significant antioxidant activity. The significance of valorization of the waste material originated from the saffron crop is especially relevant in the terms of the agri-food sector and environmental pollution reduction.