Saffron’s specialist words in plain terms — each with its name in the other languages, for buyers, cooks and traders.
28 terms5 languages
bloomed saffron, saffron water
Grinding saffron and steeping it in ice or hot (not boiling) water for at least 20 minutes so its colour and aroma are fully released.
More about this termDasteh, Dokhtar Pich
Whole stigmas and styles tied together like a small bundle; the most traditional way saffron is sold.
More about this termcorms, saffron bulb
The underground storage organ of the saffron plant, which multiplies every year. Saffron is planted only from corms, and a field usually produces for five to seven years.
More about this termcolouring strength, coloring strength
Saffron’s water-soluble pigment, which turns food golden. Measured by light absorption at about 440 nm; category I saffron has at least 200.
More about this termsaffron crocus
The scientific name of the saffron plant: a purple flower of the iris family that sets no seed and spreads only by corms. Each flower has three red stigmas.
More about this termReducing the moisture of fresh stigmas (about 80%) to below 12%. Around five kilos of fresh stigmas make one kilo of dried saffron, and its aroma forms at this stage.
More about this termBits of yellow style, petal and stamen left in the saffron. In category I saffron it must be very low.
More about this termsaffron harvest
Hand-picking saffron flowers in late October and November, early in the morning before the sun is up. Around 150,000 flowers are picked for each kilo of dried saffron.
More about this termISO 3632 standard
The international saffron standard, setting the specification (part 1) and test methods (part 2) and grading saffron by crocin, picrocrocin and safranal.
More about this termSeparated saffron style with almost no colour. Konj is not saffron and is sometimes mixed into saffron to add weight.
More about this termcertificate of analysis
The result of testing saffron to ISO 3632: crocin, picrocrocin, safranal, moisture, ash and impurities, with the batch number and test date.
More about this termmithqal
Iran’s traditional unit for weighing saffron, equal to 4.608 grams. One-mesghal packs are the most common saffron pack in Iran.
More about this termThe percentage of water and volatile matter in saffron. The maximum is 12% for threads and 10% for powder; higher moisture means part of the weight you buy is water.
More about this termThe most prized grade by appearance: red stigma only, with long, thick, even threads that are carefully laid side by side to dry.
More about this termThe compound behind saffron’s slightly bitter taste; part of it turns into safranal during drying. Category I saffron has at least 70.
More about this termmancha
Stigma with one to three millimetres of yellow style. Each gram colours a little less, but the authenticity of the threads is easy to see.
More about this termfalse saffron
A plant with orange petals known as “false saffron” and used to fake it. Its petals are flat and have very little colouring power.
More about this termThe dried stigmas of the Crocus sativus flower; the world’s most expensive spice, giving food a golden colour, a slightly bitter taste and an aroma of honey and hay.
More about this termfake saffron
Adding other materials to saffron or selling something else in its place — synthetic dye, safflower, corn silk, dyed style, or oil and sugar to add weight.
More about this termsaffron exchange certificate
A document of ownership of saffron delivered to a warehouse approved by the Iran Mercantile Exchange, traded on the exchange. Its trading price is the reference for the daily saffron price.
More about this termground saffron, powdered saffron
Ground saffron. Its quality depends on the threads it was ground from, and because their shape can’t be seen it carries the highest risk of adulteration.
More about this termSaffron’s main aromatic compound — the scent of honey and hay. It is volatile and lost with heat. The standard requires 20 to 50.
More about this termall-red, coupé
The red tips of the stigma only, with no style. The threads are shorter than Negin but colour strongly; the best-selling grade of saffron.
More about this termcleaning the flowers
Separating the three stigmas from the petals on the day of picking. Where the stigma is cut decides the grade: Negin, Sargol, Pushal or Bunch.
More about this termstigmas
The red, trumpet-shaped tip of a saffron thread, which holds almost all of its colour, taste and aroma. Each saffron flower has three stigmas.
More about this termThe white to pale-yellow stem joining the stigmas to the flower. It has little colour or aroma, but its presence in Pushal and Bunch shows the threads are natural.
More about this termThe most uniform, longest Negin threads; the top visual grade of saffron, mostly used for gifts and premium export.
More about this termA single piece of dried saffron — one stigma, with or without style. A gram of Sargol is about 450 threads.
More about this term