Why is saffron so expensive anyway?
Yes, there is often talk about the staggering prices of saffron in stores, but do you have any idea why the “red gold” has such a high kilo price?
The main reason is that the flowers from which the spice is extracted, the saffron crocus, are picked by hand and then dried. Only the three-lobed mark of the pistil is used for the spice.
It is estimated that around 150,000 flowers are needed to produce one kilogram of saffron. In Sweden alone, about ten tons of saffron are consumed each year – a lot of flowers have to be picked, in other words.
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Photo: Björn Lindgren/TTSaffron cheat 1: Diluted with other plants
The fact that saffron is so expensive is also one of the reasons why there are so many frauds and scams. It is not unusual for it to be mixed and diluted with other, cheaper content.
This is not only unfortunate, it also causes the taste of food and baked goods to be negatively affected, says the saffron retailer Ali Vetr.
To Better he tells us that a common cheat is to mix the saffron with around 30 percent other plants, dyed with caramel color. Then it looks like saffron, but lacks culinary value.
The fake saffron then gets a lighter color than the real saffron.
Photo: Leif R Jansson/TTSaffran cheat 2: Red brick
Saffron can also be mixed with powdered red brick.
– If you mix regular saffron with 10 percent brick, you won’t even notice it, because the saffron is so potent. It gives exactly the same color in, for example, fluff buns, says Vetr to Godare.
It is the powdered saffron you often find in the grocery store, in the small bags that weigh 0.5 grams each.
– If you buy powdered saffron, there is a greater risk that it has been mixed, especially if it is a cheap variant. If there is a lot and a low price, then it is probably not saffron, says Vetr.
One way to reveal whether the saffron is real or fake is to dilute it with cold water. If it is colored with caramel or brick, the water will discolor faster.
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