Saffron Samples Research Articles

Geographical discrimination of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) using ICP-MS elemental data and class modeling of PDO Zafferano dell’Aquila produced in Abruzzo (Italy)

PDO (protected designation of origin) Zafferano dell’Aquila (AQ), Iranian (IR), and commercial (CS) saffron samples were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The ICP-MS data of 30 elements were handled by unsupervised (principal component analysis (PCA)) and supervised (linear discriminant analysis (LDA)) multivariate statistical methods to identify a subset of discriminant variables useful for geographical classification. Moreover, class modeling of AQ saffron was performed by both UNEQ (unequal disperses classes) and SIMCA (soft independent modeling of class analogy) methods. A good differentiation of the AQ, IR, and CS samples was obtained by the LDA based on four selected elements: Sr, Ca, Mo, and Fe. A UNEQ class model for the PDO AQ saffron based on the above four elements provided 100% sensitivity (all authentic AQ saffron were accepted) and 100% specificity (all IR and CS were rejected), while slightly worse results were obtained using the SIMCA (89% sensitivity and 96% specificity).

Identification of phenolic markers for saffron authenticity and origin: An untargeted metabolomics approach.

Saffron is a high-quality and expensive spice being widely subjected to adulteration. An UHPLC-ESI/QTOF-MS metabolomic-based approach was therefore used to investigate the discrimination potential between adulterated (added with different percentage of other parts of the flower) and authentic saffron, as well as to trace its geographical origin. Both unsupervised (hierarchical clustering) and supervised OPLS-DA multivariate statistics allowed discriminating authentic saffron from styles added of other floral components, as well as PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) vs non PDO saffron samples according to their chemical fingerprints. The proposed markers were then validated through ROC curves. Anthocyanins and glycosidic flavonols were the best markers of the styles' adulteration. However, other flavonoids (mainly free flavonols and flavones), together with protocatechuic aldehyde and isomeric forms of hydroxybenzoic acid, were also validated as markers for the discrimination of PDO vs non PDO saffron samples. This work outlines the potential of untargeted metabolomics based on UHPLC-ESI/QTOF mass spectrometry for saffron authenticity and traceability.

Comparison of IRMS, GC-MS and E-Nose data for the discrimination of saffron samples with different origin, process and age

In this study the use of conventional (Isotope-ratio mass spectrometry-IRMS and solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography mass spectrometric, SPME-GC-MS) and non-conventional analytical techniques (Electronic Nose) to characterize and discriminate origin, drying and age of 35 saffron samples was investigated.The IRMS technique by the analysis of the stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes has proved to be a reliable method in discriminating the geographical origin of saffron. Taking into account the chemical classes of the detected volatile compounds, the SPME-GC-MS was able to discriminate the different origin, drying and age. An E-Nose was used as alternative and rapid tool to characterize the complex aroma patterns and to exploit authenticity of saffron samples. Overall, the innovative AuNP-peptide based sensors array showed only a good discrimination of their origin.Results of this study could contribute to select and identify routine quality control methods for quality and authentication of saffron.

Effect of Different Drying Methods on the Physicochemical Properties and Bioactive Components of Saffron Powder.

Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world; so, determining optimum conditions for its processing is crucial. The most important processing stage of saffron is drying of its stigma, which should be optimized and there are no reports on reactance-window (RW) of saffron. In this research, drying of saffron with traditional, RW, and oven driers and at three temperatures of 60, 70 and 80°C, as well as room temperature (25°C) were studied. Regarding process duration, RW drier with 200μm Mylar membrane and oven drier were the best methods with average drying time of 25.28 and 22.28min, respectively. As far as the concentration of bioactive ingredients, i.e., picrocrocin, safranal, and crocin, of saffron was concerned, RW drier with Pyrex glass was better than other driers, resulting in 112.83 [Formula: see text] of picrocrocin, 51.79 [Formula: see text] of safranal, and 274.76 [Formula: see text] of crocin. The panelist most favored those saffron samples dried by RW with 300μm Mylar membrane.

MARKET SAMPLE SURVEY OF CROCUS SATIVUS LINN. TO ASSESS THE GENUINITY FOR USING ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY, TOTAL PHENOLIC CONTENT AND HIGH-PRESSURE THIN LAYER CHROMATOGRAPHY USING DETECTION OF FLAVONOIDS

Objective: Herbalism is a traditional medicine or folk medicine practice based on the use of plants and plant extracts. Many of the drugs used in conventional medicine are dried from herbs. Despite the fluctuation in prices in international markets, saffron was still remained the most expensive spice. The main aim of this study is to examine the antioxidant activity, total phenolic content, high-pressure thin layer chromatography using flavanoid analysis and adulteration detection of saffron. Crocus sativus. Linn is a perennial stemless herb of the Iridaceae family. Saffron stigmas of sample1, sample2, sample3and sample4 are collected from different rates of the market sample from Thrissur district, sample5 collected from the Oushadhi premises, and it is collected from Himachal Pradesh.
 Methods: In this study detecting the antioxidant activity, total phenolic content, high-pressure thin layer chromatography using flavanoid analysis of different samples of saffron stigmas. The extracts were prepared by using ethanol as a solvent.
 Results: Safranal is present only in s5 sample. It is the main essential volatile oil responsible for the saffron characteristic such as odour. Phenolic content is varied in different market samples. The amount of phenolic compounds in the saffron extract was determined using the Folin-ciocalteau reagent. Total phenolic content is the help to detect the pure and fake saffron. The phenolic content is higher in S5. Sample S5 showed 0.737 mg/ml phenolic content. Lowest level of phenolic content in sample S3. Sample S3 showed 0.0887 mg/ml phenolic content. Sample S4 showed 0.564 mg/ml total phenolic content. Sample S1 showed 0.416 mg/ml total phenolic content and sample S2 showed 0.267 mg/ml phenolic content. Antioxidant activity is higher in sample s5. and it is different in different market samples. Sample 5 stigma posses higher antioxidant activity. Sample S5 showing 14.88% antioxidant activity in 100 mg/ml concentration, 7.26% in 80 mg/ml concentration, 2.23% in 60 mg/ml concentration, 2.21% in 40 mg/ml and 1.01% in 20 mg/ml concentration. Sample S3 showed the lower antioxidant activity in 0.1% in 60 mg/ml concentration and 0.1% in 80 mg/ml. Ascorbic acid standard showing 14.89% in 100 mg/ml concentration, 7.26% in 80 mg/ml concentration, 4.56% in 60 mg/ml concentration, and 3.1% in 40 mg/ml concentration, and 1% in 20 mg/ml concentration. Flavonoid content is different in different samples. It is present highly present in sample s1 and s5. sample s3 do not contain the Flavanoid. The quality of the samples depend on the price values.
 Conclusion: The authenticity of saffron is an extremely important matter for the industry and for the consumers in view of security and protection,quality assurance, active properties and last but not least, economic impact. Despite the fluctuation in prices in international markets, saffron was and still remains the most expensive spice. The genuine saffron samples possess higher price value. The fake saffron available in the market with lower price value. The quality of the saffron depends upon the price values. These observations would be of immense value in the botanical identification and standardization of the drug in crude form and would help to distinguish the drug from its other spices.

MARKET SAMPLE SURVEY OF CROCUS SATIVUS LINN. TO ASSESS THE GENUINITY FOR USING ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY, TOTAL PHENOLIC CONTENT AND HIGH-PRESSURE THIN LAYER CHROMATOGRAPHY USING DETECTION OF FLAVONOIDS

Objective: Herbalism is a traditional medicine or folk medicine practice based on the use of plants and plant extracts. Many of the drugs used in conventional medicine are dried from herbs. Despite the fluctuation in prices in international markets, saffron was still remained the most expensive spice. The main aim of this study is to examine the antioxidant activity, total phenolic content, high-pressure thin layer chromatography using flavanoid analysis and adulteration detection of saffron. Crocus sativus. Linn is a perennial stemless herb of the Iridaceae family. Saffron stigmas of sample1, sample2, sample3and sample4 are collected from different rates of the market sample from Thrissur district, sample5 collected from the Oushadhi premises, and it is collected from Himachal Pradesh.
 Methods: In this study detecting the antioxidant activity, total phenolic content, high-pressure thin layer chromatography using flavanoid analysis of different samples of saffron stigmas. The extracts were prepared by using ethanol as a solvent.
 Results: Safranal is present only in s5 sample. It is the main essential volatile oil responsible for the saffron characteristic such as odour. Phenolic content is varied in different market samples. The amount of phenolic compounds in the saffron extract was determined using the Folin-ciocalteau reagent. Total phenolic content is the help to detect the pure and fake saffron. The phenolic content is higher in S5. Sample S5 showed 0.737 mg/ml phenolic content. Lowest level of phenolic content in sample S3. Sample S3 showed 0.0887 mg/ml phenolic content. Sample S4 showed 0.564 mg/ml total phenolic content. Sample S1 showed 0.416 mg/ml total phenolic content and sample S2 showed 0.267 mg/ml phenolic content. Antioxidant activity is higher in sample s5. and it is different in different market samples. Sample 5 stigma posses higher antioxidant activity. Sample S5 showing 14.88% antioxidant activity in 100 mg/ml concentration, 7.26% in 80 mg/ml concentration, 2.23% in 60 mg/ml concentration, 2.21% in 40 mg/ml and 1.01% in 20 mg/ml concentration. Sample S3 showed the lower antioxidant activity in 0.1% in 60 mg/ml concentration and 0.1% in 80 mg/ml. Ascorbic acid standard showing 14.89% in 100 mg/ml concentration, 7.26% in 80 mg/ml concentration, 4.56% in 60 mg/ml concentration, and 3.1% in 40 mg/ml concentration, and 1% in 20 mg/ml concentration. Flavonoid content is different in different samples. It is present highly present in sample s1 and s5. sample s3 do not contain the Flavanoid. The quality of the samples depend on the price values.
 Conclusion: The authenticity of saffron is an extremely important matter for the industry and for the consumers in view of security and protection,quality assurance, active properties and last but not least, economic impact. Despite the fluctuation in prices in international markets, saffron was and still remains the most expensive spice. The genuine saffron samples possess higher price value. The fake saffron available in the market with lower price value. The quality of the saffron depends upon the price values. These observations would be of immense value in the botanical identification and standardization of the drug in crude form and would help to distinguish the drug from its other spices.

The promising variety-samples of bastard saffron (Carthamus Tinctorius l.) In the Saratov region

The article presents the results of a long-term study of the bastard saffron variety samples (Carthamus tinctorius L.) in the FSBSI RRPtISM “Rossorgo”. In the Saratov region there are significant microzones with extremely dry conditions, but suitable for the cultivation of bastard saffron. The range of varieties is of great importance to improve the crop yields and quality. The research conducted at the institute, allowed forming a valuable source material for the bastard saffron breeding using traditional cultivation technology. The study included varieties of domestic breeding (“Ershovsky 4”, “Kamyshinsky 73”, “GAS 2014”, “Borets”, “Totem”), as well as lines selected from the variety samples of bastard saffron obtained from the VIR collection (“L-25”, “L-26”, “L-27”, “L-28”, “L-29”, “L-30”, “L-31”). The advantage of the varieties described in the work is the fact that when conducting state testings, as well as in the production recommendations for newly developed varieties, financially costly changes in the cultivation technology are not proposed. The variation of structure elements identified in the experiment, is determined by the interaction of “genotype-environment”. The experiment established that the variation amplitude of the mean values of morphological traits for the period 2013-2016 is significantly lower than the total range of variability in the experiment, and it is caused by gene expression that are normal in the reaction of the saffron variety samples. The biochemical composition of the seeds varied within the following limits: 15.13-20.38% of protein, 30.36-38.40% of oil, 11.63-31.98% of fiber, 3.02-4.01% of ash, 20.40-34.08% of BEV. The high oil percentage in the saffron seeds (“Borets”, “L-27”, “GAS 2014”, “L-30”) indicates the prospects to include variety samples in the breeding process. In the description of the bastard saffron varieties developed by the FSBSI RRPtISM “Rossorgo” (“Borets”, “GAS 2014”, “Khameleon”), there are the parameters of the most important economically valuable traits, as well as some agrotechnical instructions that must be followed in the cultivation in the Nizhne-Volga region.

Multiple tests on saffron find new adulterant materials and reveal that Ist grade saffron is rare in the market

Among spices, Saffron is among the most extensively interrogated for purity and authenticity. Numerous methods have been recommended for authentication of Saffron samples and for detection of adulterants for codex compliance. However, none of these methods can fulfill both of these important quality criteria. This study describes a three step approach to achieving this goal by including the established ISO3632 method and two additional methods based on microscopic examination and DNA barcoding. We provide results showing the utility of these methods both independently and in combination for quality evaluation of 36 commercial saffron samples. Our results show that use of the ISO3632 approach alone can reveal the color and aroma but not the genetic origin of the material or distinguish between synthetic components versus natural ingredients. Also, the microscopic observation method can give a preliminary indication of saffron authenticity, but used alone it is unable to quantify purity. Finally, a relatively new method based on the use of DNA barcodes can authenticate the biological origin of the saffron, but here results may be misleading if auto-adulterating materials are present. Overall, our study reveals that through the combined use of all three methods, saffron authentication can substantially improved.

Effect of different additives on antiooxidant capacity of black tea

ABSTRACTThe aim of this work was the study of effects of different additives on antioxidative potential of tea. Brewing additives including; clove, cinnamon, cardamom, saffron, and ginger, and nonbrewing additives such as milk, sugar, and honey were added to tea at 0.25:1, 0.5:1, and 1:1 ratio of additive to tea. Antioxidant activity (ferric iron reducing antioxidant power), total phenolic, and flavonoid content were determined. The highest antioxidant activity was seen for clove. The highest and lowest phenolic compounds were found with honey and clove, respectively. The tea containing saffron and control sample had the highest and the least flavonoids, respectively. Totally, the brewing additives had more effect on antioxidant activity of tea beverage in comparison with non-brewing additives. In relation to polyphenols content, nonbrewing additives had more influence on polyphenols in comparison with the brewing additives. No defined trend was seen in flavonoid content in the light of classification of additives.

DETERMINATION OF CROCIN CONTENT AND VOLATILE COMPONENTS IN DIFFERENT QUALITIES OF IRANIAN SAFFRON

Saffron, obtained from dried stigmas of Crocus sativus L. flowers, is widely used as a food colouring and flavouring spice. The aim of this study was to determine crocin content and volatile constituents of saffron belonging to different quality categories. The quality categories of saffron samples differ in red stigmas (Sargol-I and Sargol-II) and threads with yellow styles (Pushal-I, Pushal-II and Bunch). The total amount of the crocin component was identified with HPLC as highest in the Sargol-I sample (66.67 mg/g) and lowest in the Bunch sample (51.66 mg/g). SPME followed by GC-MS was used to screen of saffron volatile composition. As the result of study, 40 volatile compounds were detected by 3 different fibers (PA, PDMS and CAR/PDMS). GC-MS (PDMS). Safranal, the main volatile compound of saffron, was determined in the Sargol-I, Sargol-II, Pushal-I, Pushal-II and Bunch category samples as 49.64%, 50.29%, 50.42%, 57.02% and 61.31%, respectively.

Crocins pattern in saffron detected by UHPLC-MS/MS as marker of quality, process and traceability

This study was carried out to develop an UHPLC-MS/MS analytical procedure, to determinate all isomers and isoforms of crocins of 42 saffron samples, with different origin, age and dried using different process conditions.A preliminary experimental design was applied to optimize the extraction of crocins; UHPLC-MS/MS conditions were set to obtain the best analytical performances in terms of sensitivity and selectivity. The optimised conditions allowed to determine ten crocins; their amount in samples was significantly different and affected by process, age and origin. Drying conditions influenced the crocins pattern and this was particularly evidenced in the more recently produced samples, with a clear separation between mild and high thermally treated samples. Principal Component Analysis of all crocins data allowed to discriminate samples based on origin (Italy vs. other countries) and age.Results confirm the feasibility of the use of crocins pattern as marker of quality and traceability of saffron.

Optimization using chemometrics of HS-SPME/GC–MS profiling of saffron aroma and identification of geographical volatile markers

Gas cromatography with mass spectrometry detection coupled to headspace solid-phase microextraction (SPME) was used to analyse the aroma profile of saffron (Crocus sativus L.). The influence of the saffron amount and form (intact stigmas vs. powder) on the intensity of the chromatograms was preliminarily evaluated. Moreover, the mutual effects of the sample temperature and exposition time of a polydimethylsiloxane SPME fiber was investigated by response surface methodology. Saffron samples produced in L’Aquila (Italy), Iran and Morocco, and commercial spices were analysed under application of the optimised SPME conditions and geographical classification was attempted by linear discriminant analysis applied to the relative peak areas of all the detected volatiles. The spices produced in the different geographical areas and the commercial products were discriminated with good accuracy, 91% of external samples being correctly classified using leave-one-out cross-validation. An acceptable differentiation (73% of correct predictions) was obtained by considering only the major aroma components.

Isolation and characterization of microorganisms and volatiles associated with Moroccan saffron during different processing treatments

Saffron may be spoiled by a variety of microorganisms during cultivation, harvesting, and post harvesting. As saffron can be dried and stored in different ways, this preliminary study explored the natural microbiota present in Moroccan saffron when subjected to different drying techniques. An analysis of the carotenoid-derived volatiles present in the saffron was also carried out. The culturable microbiota of the saffron samples dried using different methods, namely in the shade (also called natural), in the sun, or in the oven, were studied using classical and molecular approaches. The effect of the drying methods on head-space chemical volatiles was also determined. Eighty-two isolates grown in the different culture media were chosen from the colonies, and genotype analysis grouped the microorganisms into 58 clusters, revealing a wide diversity. Out of the 82 isolates, 75 belonged to the Bacillaceae family. The other isolates were distributed within the Dietziaceae, Paenibacillaceae and Carnobacteriaceae families. The dominant species was Bacillus simplex, which was detected in all samples, regardless of the drying method used. Lysinibacillus macroides was dominant in the sun-dried saffron. No pathogens were isolated, but an isolate belonging to Dietzia maris, a potential human pathogenic species, was detected. The biodiversity indexes were linked to the drying method and generally decreased as the intensity of the treatment increased. The results of this preliminary work show that the different drying methods strongly influenced the microbiota and affect the saffron volatile profile. Further analysis will be needed to determine possible effects of selected microbiota on saffron volatiles.

Quantitative HPLC-based metabolomics of some Iranian saffron (Crocus sativus L.) accessions

The major bioactive compounds of saffron flowers are picrocrocin, and safranal, which significantly contribute towards the quality of saffron. Nevertheless, the variation in the metabolite profiling among Iranian saffron accessions with different origins has been reported due to the uniformity of cultivation, climatic conditions, and agronomic practices. In our present report, initially, these bioactive compounds in 53 saffron accessions collected from Khorasan Razavi, the major province of saffron cultivation in Iran, were quantified through high performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) as a fast screening method for the analysis. After the screening, based on the high amount of crocins in the saffron samples, 27 sample were selected for finer separation and determination of the bioactive components by using an optimized HPLC-DAD analysis. Following a comparative fingerprinting study to find the samples with a high content of secondary metabolites and the most affecting saffron constitutes, all the HPLC-DAD chromatographic data was submitted to a statistical heat-map analysis in a MATLAB environment. From this statistical analysis, crocins and picrocrocin were found to be the most affecting factors for the categorization of the saffron stigmas. Eventually, our results illustrated a chemical diversity among the studied accessions that could be attributed to their geographical and bioclimatic distribution.

An integrated approach combining HPLC, GC/MS, NIRS, and chemometrics for the geographical discrimination and commercial categorization of saffron

In the present study, an integrated approach combining HPLC/DAD, GC/MS, near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, and chemometrics was used to geographically discriminate saffron samples from Iran and China. Chinese and Iranian samples can be well-separated based on HPLC data analysed by a principal component analysis and an orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis. Picrocrocin and two types of crocins were found to be the discriminating variables, and the Chinese samples had higher contents of safranal and picrocrocin but lower cis-crocin 3Gg, kaempferol-3-O-sophoroside and isophorone. Furthermore, an NIR method was successfully established to rapidly distinguish the Chinese and Iranian samples. The relationship between an ISO standard and the contents of the chemical indices was also studied. The results indicated that the ISO standard should be revised, especially for analysing safranal.

Evaluation of storage time effect on saffron chemical profile using gas chromatography and spectrophotometry techniques coupled with chemometrics.

Saffron quality is commonly determined by three parameters: color, aroma, and taste. Several factors including harvesting and post-harvesting conditions, affect these parameters. In this study, the effect of storage time on saffron quality was evaluated. At first, the relative concentration of the saffron secondary metabolites in freshly dried and 2years stored saffron samples prepared with ISO 3632 and UA-DLLME methods and then measured using UV-Vis and GC-FID techniques. In order to find saffron storage time biomarkers, the obtained data were subjected to several data analysis steps including data preprocessing, principal component analysis (PCA), partial least square discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and variable selection methods. Based on the obtained main biomarkers and proposed molecule mechanism, it can be concluded that during the storage periods, the intensity of saffron color reduces, while its aroma increases, reflecting a negative correlation between them. Freshly dried samples have a higher level of the crocins as coloring agents, β-isophorone, 4-hydroxy-3,5,5-trimethylcyclohex-2-enone and picrocrocin, while the stored samples were more abundant by safranal as the main saffron aroma agent.

Analysis of the Effect of 60Co-γ Irradiation Sterilization Technology on the Chemical Composition of Saffron Using UPLC and UPLC/Q-TOF-MS

To evaluate the effect of 60Co-γ irradiation sterilization technology on the chemical composition of saffron, we collected 10 batches of saffron samples and treated them with different irradiation doses. UPLC characteristic chromatogram showed that there was no significant effect of irradiation on 13 common peak areas. The results of cluster analysis and principal component analysis showed that there were no differences in the chemical composition in nonirradiated and irradiated samples. UPLC/Q-TOF-MS identified 40 characteristic components of saffron, and the results showed that all of these were detected in the saffron samples both with and without irradiation. Irradiation doses at or below 10 kGy had no significant effect on the chemical components of saffron. This provides a sound basis for the use of 60Co-γ ray irradiation sterilization technology during the preparation of original powder saffron as a medicinal herb, for the effective destruction of mycotoxin contamination.

Molecular species fingerprinting and quantitative analysis of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) for quality control by MALDI mass spectrometry.

Herein we describe a rapid, simple, and reliable method for the quantitative analysis and molecular species fingerprinting of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) by direct MS and MS/MS analysis. Experimentally, powdered saffron was subjected to a brief treatment with a 0.3% TFA water/acetonitrile solution, and the resulting mixture was directly placed on the MALDI plate for analysis. This approach allowed the detection of the commonly observed crocins C-1–C-6 and flavonols, together with the identification of the unknown highly glycosylated crocins C-7, C-8 and C-9, and carotenoid-derived metabolites. The strategy endorsed the simultaneous detection and characterization of saffron and adulterant markers using crude extracts of the adulterant itself and synthetic sets of adulterated authentic saffron samples. The implementation of the strategy was to measure the amount of an unknown adulterant from the crude extract using curcumin as a non-isotopic isobaric internal standard. The relationship between the saffron and curcumin molar ratios were established with a correlation coefficient of 0.9942. The ANOVA regression model was significant, F(1, 72) = 13 595.82, p < 0.001, y = (0.0116 ± 0.0001)x + (−0.1214 ± 0.0086). No matrix effects were observed and good results were obtained with respect to instrumental repeatability (*RSD% < 2%) and LOD (1.1%). The analysis of commercial samples of saffron using the proposed approach showed the suitability of the method for routine analysis (minimal sample preparation and very short measuring time per sample).

GENETIC DIVERSITY OF CROCUS SATIVUS AND ITS CLOSE RELATIVE SPECIES ANALYZED BY iPBS-RETROTRANSPOSONS

Saffron (Crocus L.) is a member of Crocoideae, the biggest of four subfamilies in the Iridaceae family. It has 2n = 3x = 24 chromosomes and is triploid; thus, it is sterile. In previous research, different molecular DNA markers were used but molecular characterization and genetic diversity of this complex genus have not yet been clarified. Therefore, current study aimed to determine the molecular characterization of saffron and its close relative species using inter-primer binding site (iPBS)-retrotransposon markers. Eighty-three iPBS-retrotransposon primers were used in 28 C. sativus genotypes and 17 close relative species of saffron to identify their genetic diversity. Sixteen polymorphic iPBS-retrotransposon primers generated a total of 401 polymorphic scorable bands. The mean PIC value, Nei’s genetic diversity and Shannon’s information index (I) were calculated as 0.85, 0.16 and 0.29, respectively. The results of the Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic mean UPGMA dendrogram and Principal Coordinates Analysis PCoA analysis indicated a spatial representation of the relative genetic distances among 28 saffron samples and the 17 close relative species were categorized under two distinct groups. Saffron genotypes showed very limited genetic variation and according to the iPBS-retrotransposon data, its close relatives were C. cartwrightianus and C. pallasii subsp. pallasii.

The influence of nanocellulose coating on saffron quality during storage

Since saffron is an added-value product, and the most expensive agricultural product, it is necessary to increase its shelf life, prevent its quality loss during storage, and maintain its organoleptic properties, enabling producers to export saffron with higher quality and better consumer acceptability. So, in this research, saffron samples were coated through applying different carbohydrate biopolymers: maltodextrin with DE=4 or DE=20 (MD4 and MD20) or their combination with nanocellulose fibres (MDC4 and MDC20). Finally, the experiments were carried out to measure rehydration ratio, water activity, crocin content, color values, and sensory properties of saffron samples coated by different materials. MDC4 resulted in the lowest rehydration ratio among coated samples since, first, lower DE degrees of biopolymer complexes decreased moisture adsorption and solubility of maltodextrin and second, crystalline nanocellulose fibres increased tortuous and bended pathways in materials and reduced penetration possibilities of water molecules. MDC4 was the most effective treatment in preventing crocin decrease. Indeed, film forming characteristic of maltodextrin with low hydrolysis degree and special structure of nanocellulose led to the maintenance of crocin bioactive ingredient. SEM observations revealed coating on saffron surfaces as a thin clear and brilliant layer which enhanced saffron acceptability for our panelists.