Crocetin Equivalent of Saffron Extracts: Comparison of Three Extraction Methods

acts. Comparison of Three Extraction Methods* D. B.q.sreni AND M. NEcBri ‘f Department of Food Technology, Agricultural Research Organization, P.O. Box 6, 50250 Bet Dagan, Israel antl NDepartment of Agricuhural Botany, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, P-O. Box 12, 76100 Rehovot, Israel Extraction of the colour of saffron may be performed with cold water, hot water. or a combination of hot water and maceration. The last method was found to be the most efficient. Saffron is the most expensive of spicesl, and one criterion of the quality of any particular sample is the intensity of its colouring power2. The International Standard2 requires that this be measured on a cold water extract. However, the principal pigment present, &-crocin, is reported to be only slightly soluble in cold water, but freely soluble in hot water!5; hot water extraction therefore appears to be more suitable6. Even after hot water extraction, the “exhausted” material still often contains visible remaining pigment; complete extraction requires maceration of this material. The results obtained after extraction by the three methods were compared. The small retail packets of saffron-seldom over 2 g and often only 0.1