Original Articles
Syed Muzaffar, Khaliquz Zaman
Abstract
Saffron is known from ancient times, and not only as a spice used in food but as dyeing, beauty product and especially for its pharmacological properties. Actually, its main use is in food as,it is one of the few spices that is capable of transmitting color, aroma, and flavor. Commercial saffron enterprises demand aroma evaluation more and more insistently through simple and reproducible techniques. Consumer knowledge of the spice has improved and they begin to demand saffron that possesses quality in a much wider sense. This study reports the effects of drying methods (Shade-drying and microwave drying) on Safranal content of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) and simultaneous method validation is presented by Several parameters: RSD, LOD, LOQ, Spike amount, % Recovery.. Samples of saffron were analysed by High Performance liquid chromatography. Result suggested that microwave drying retain maximum concentration of safranal (0.072± 0.003 mg/100mg of stigma) as compared with sample dried under shade, safranal ranged from (0.045± 0.004 mg/100mg of stigma). It is concluded that Significant increase in the relative safranal contents at high temperatures are most likely due to direct thermal conversion of picrocrocin at these high temperatures. So, microwave drying could be the best drying method for saffron stigmas in order to retain its aroma.