Production Practices and Quality Assessment of Food Crops. Vol. 1

232 S. A. Ordoudi and M. Z. Tsimidou
Tarantilis et al., 1994b, 1995; Orfanou and Tsimidou, 1996; Alonso et al., 1998b).
The flavour threshold, flavour profile and psychophysical scaling of saffron flavour
had been reported by Narasimhan et al. (1992) who attempted the quality evaluation
of the commercial product. A procedure for the application of FT-Raman
spectrum of solid saffron as a means of product standardisation has been recently
proposed (Aminzadeh, 2000). Tristimulus colorimetry has been also examined
as a means for evaluating colouring power of dried saffron in situ (Cuko, 1997;
Mitsopoulou, 2000; Carmona et al., 2002).
Concerning the morphological characteristics of the spice, typical length of
the spice ranges from 20–40 mm whereas the upper part of the stigma is usually
2–3 mm thick (Sampathu et al., 1984; Rees, 1988; Raina et al., 1996; Mitsopoulou,
2000).
In accordance to the international concern for food safety the European Committee
issued a directive on the Food Hygiene (93/43/EOK) so that since 2000 all the
member states have adopted the Hazard Analysis at Critical Control Points Systems
(HACCP) in the food industry. At the same time Good Manufacturing Practice
Manuals are becoming common practice in the food sector, even to the small-scale
rural food industries (Fellows et al., 1995). Such manuals rather assist than regulate
the industrial practice. In the sphere of Total Quality Management (TQM) any
HACCP system should be in accordance with the relevant ISO 9000 quality standards
as well as with standards related to the environmental management.
Further requirements for saffron quality are found in the international food
legislation as well as in certain pharmacopoeias.
The chemical and sensory analysis of the tissue culture saffron indicated that
the pigments produced were the same as those in natural stigmas, although their
levels were much less (Sarma et al., 1991). Flavour profile analysis showed that
the important characteristics (sweet, floral, spicy and fatty notes) were very low
as compared to the commercial sample. Herbaceous notes-harsh/acrid and barky
dominated. According to Visvanath et al. (1990) the quantity of picrocrocin in red
globular callous and red filamentous structures was higher than that in natural
stigmas. The safranal content was comparable to that of stigmas whereas the crocin
content was much less in cultured product. No dependence of crocin and picrocrocin
levels on the medium was observed so far whereas safranal and HTCC appear
after drying (Himeno and Sano, 1987).
3.1. Criteria for detection of fraud
Saffron, the most expensive spice worldwide, has been subjected to different types
of admixture with organic or inorganic materials since the antiquity.
In modern times adulteration of saffron with an array of ways was experienced.
In the early sixties Spanish saffron was found to be impregnated with salts, mainly
with potassium nitrate (18–20% w/w KNO 3) as a means to increase weight of the
spice without changing its appearance (Lowell, 1964). Such types of adulterants
include the use of glycerin, borax, glucose and fructose (Yan et al., 1983) and
other salts. A modified diphenylamine reagent, heating (sparkling explosion in the
presence of nitrates), the use of a polarising microscope, a flame test for potas-