Valenciana" in Spain, "Gugelhupf" in Germany, "Koftas" and "Pastilla" in Morocco, "Saffron syrup cake" in Iran, and "Lussekatter Buns" in Sweden. Today in the market, we can find various saffron products like saffron dessert powder, saffron cream powder, saffron cake mixer, and different semi-ready to use saffron soup and spice mixtures. Saffron stigma are also used in various alcoholic beverages to provide color and flavor.
Saffron has been used for 3,000 years, in Ayurveda, Chinese, Arabic, Mongolian, Greek, and Egyptian traditional medicine for the treatment of various diseases. Studies have shown that saffron has anti-mutagenic, anti-cancer, anti-oxidant, anti-depressant, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal properties. Saffron has the potential to be used in the development of new drugs.
Saffron has gained new interest in the cosmetic industry because of its anti-UV, anti-aging, and anti-oxidant properties. Saffron is also used to make perfume because of its unique aroma.
Saffron has been used for dying cotton and wool fiber for many years. Extracting the natural dye from saffron floral parts like the style and petals enhances the economic value of saffron as well as promotes an eco-friendly fabric dyeing processes.
Golmohammadi, F. (2019). Saffron as the main cash, medical and resistive plant for the sustainable economy and livelihood of rural people in dried regions of Iran. Black Sea Journal of Agriculture, 2(3), 156–163.
Hosseini, A., Razavi, B. M., & Hosseinzadeh, H. (2018). Saffron (Crocus sativus) petal as a new pharmacological target: a review. Iranian journal of basic medical sciences, 21(11), 1091-1099.
Mzabri, I., Addi, M., & Berrichi, A. (2019). Traditional and modern uses of saffron (Crocus sativus). Cosmetics, 6(4), 1–11.
Skinner, P., Parker, B., & Ghalehgolabbehbahani, A. (2018). Saffron: A Good Fit for New England [Powerpoint slides]. Retrieved September 23, 2020, from https://www.uvm.edu/~entlab/Greenhouse_IPM/Workshops/2018/Presentations/Saffron - Skinner.pdf
Winterhalter, P., & Straubinger, M. (2000). Saffron — Renewed Interest in an Ancient Spice Saffron – Renewed Interest in an Ancient Spice. Food Reviews International, 16(1), 39–59.
Educational programs of Kentucky Cooperative Extension serve all people regardless of economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, or physical or mental disability. Kentucky State University, University of Kentucky, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Kentucky Counties, Cooperating. 2021 KSU-CEP-FAC-0090