Recent techniques used for saffron quality assessment

Saffron, the dried stigmas of Crocus sativus L., has a long history of being used as a spice for flavoring and coloring food preparations, as well in traditional medicine, it has been reputed to be efficacious for the alleviation and treatment of ailments. Saffron quality is determined by its purity and its coloring, aromatic and taste properties. The compounds respectively responsible for these properties are crocins, safranal, and picrocrocin. These compounds are measured by spectrophotometry in the UV-vis range, analytical method imposed by ISO standard. It is quick and easy to implement, but it does not allow actual quantification of safranal and picrocrocin. Most of the studies have been carried out on the development of analytical methods related to this quality. This review article covers current analytical techniques, instruments and methodologies used, comparing between them and concluding the most appropriate from an efficiency and economical point of view.