Abstract ID: 3.10884 | Accepted as Talk | Talk/Oral | TBA | TBA

Saffron (Crocus sativus) is an autumn-blooming geophyte that has been widely cultivated in the Near East and the Mediterranean region since the Late Bronze Age. It is widely used in the food industry as a spice and functional food, and also plays an important role in the cosmetic and dyeing industries. Currently, Italy produces about 400 kg of saffron annually and, in recent years, there has been a renewed interest in it. Saffron cultivation is still carried out manually, which is one of the reasons why the majority of production is located in developing countries, especially Asia. Due to its rusticity and low maintenance requirements, saffron is particularly suitable for rural mountain areas. Saffron is a key ingredient in various high-quality traditional dishes, but data on its quality in Italy remains fragmented. The quality of saffron is typically assessed using the ISO 3632 standard spectrophotometric procedure that defines three categories (I, II and III) based on the content of crocin, safranal, picrocrocin, and moisture. The vast majority of Italian saffron samples analysed (about 95%) fall into the first quality category. To further valorised high-quality producers, a sub-categorization within the first category has been proposed, based on colour and flavour strength, following again the ISO 3632 standard procedure. The proposed subcategories are: “high-quality” (flavour strength < 95, colour strength 108, colour >260). Additionally, FT-NIR spectroscopy has been employed as a cost-effective method for assessing saffron quality. To evaluate the producer’s perception of the sub-classification, a new report outlining and assigning the sub-category has been developed and distributed to the producers. The refined classification aims to encourage adherence to the good practices that improve the quality of the final product and serve as a tool to support the saffron supply chain, particularly in hilly and mountain areas.