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Since saffron is the most expensive spice in the world, costing around $185 to $200 an ounce, there is plenty of motivation for dishonest dealers to sell fraudulent fake saffron. These may be labeled simply saffron but are sometimes sold under the names Mexican saffron or American saffron. In the past, red silk fibers and even dyed horsehair have been sold as saffron threads. It’s hard to resist a deal, so how can you tell if the saffron you purchased is real or fake?
- Highest Quality Saffron Threads, Super Negin Grade Saffron. Zaran Saffron is a Family-Owned and Operated business with over a decade of experience in Saffron.
- Zaran Saffron is Perfect for all your Cooking needs, such as Golden Rice, Paella, Risotto, Golden Milk, and Teas. Saffron has many health benefits and can be used medicinally by consuming as a tea or It can be ground into powder form for use in saffron extract supplements.
- Lab Tested in accordance with ISO 3632, our Saffron is tested for the highest levels of (Crocin) Color, (Safranal) Aroma, and Picocrocin (Flavor). 100% Pure and unadulterated Saffron. Your Safety is our #1 Priority.
- Satisfaction Guaranteed | If you are not 100% satisfied with your order, send us a message and we will refund your order in full. No questions asked! At Zaran Saffron, we want each and everyone of our customers to have an amazing experience!
- Have Questions? Send us a message, we love to help.
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Do Not Purchase Powdered Saffron
First, be aware that if you purchased powdered saffron, you made a mistake, because it’s much harder to tell whether it’s real or not. You don’t know what it looked like before it was turned into a powder and since it is a powder, the test described below may not be as accurate.
Some powdered saffron may be turmeric or turmeric adulterated to make it appear deeper red in color. Also, other flower species, like calendula, have been used to color saffron.
Real saffron is fairly easy to identify with a closeup view as it should consist of deep-red trumpet-shaped threads like those shown below.
These threads come from a flower called crocus sativus, the so-called “saffron crocus.” It is primarily grown in Iran, Greece, Morocco, and India.
The saffron crocus produces small purple flowers each with only three small delicate threads of saffron. These must be picked by hand once per year AND the flower only blossoms four times during its lifetime. Machine harvesting would destroy them. It takes 70,000 flowers to produce just one pound of saffron.
How to Test Saffron
Testing saffron is so easy, even I can do it. All you need is a small container, a little cold water, and a nice piece of saffron.
First, take a good look at the threads and compare them to the photo above or other images of real saffron you might find online. If they look trumpet-shaped, they are probably real.
Now follow these steps:
- Place a pinch of saffron in a small bowl.
- Pour in enough COLD water to cover the saffron threads.
- Wait for the saffron to release its color into the water.
If the saffron threads are real, they will slowly release their color, turning the water a golden yellow color. If the saffron threads are fake, the water will start turning yellow or even red almost immediately.
If this happens, it means something has been added to the fake threads, like soluble food coloring.
Real saffron threads will take a while to steep and infuse as any plant product would. Do not use hot water as this will cause the infusion to happen too quickly, making it harder to judge whether it is real or fake.
