SOP: Floral Waste in Saffron

GIFSQ — Global Institute for Food Safety & Quality

Principle

The floral waste in saffron — yellow filaments, pollens, stamens, part of the ovary and other parts of the flower of Crocus sativus L. — is separated by hand picking from a weighed quantity of the sample and expressed as per cent by weight.

Apparatus required

• Sheet of white paper
• Forceps

Procedure

Spread 5 g of the sample on a sheet of white paper

↓

Using a forceps, pick all of the free yellow filaments and other floral waste stated above

↓

Weigh the picked matter and express the result as per cent by weight

Calculation

Floral waste % = (Wt of floral waste × 100) / Wt of sample

Where,

• Wt of floral waste = weight of the picked yellow filaments and other floral waste
• Wt of sample = weight of the sample taken (5 g)

References

Ranganna, S., Handbook of Analysis and Quality Control for Fruit and Vegetable Products, 2nd edition.