Bulk spice distributors, re-packers, industrial clients or bakeries looking for bulk spices, herbs & seeds are invited to call us any time to request current prices and specification sheets!
What is Saffron?
 
Saffron is the most precious and most expensive spice in the world. The Saffron filaments, or threads, are actually the dried stigmas of the saffron flower, Crocus Sativus Linneaus . Each flower contains only three stigmas. These threads must be picked from each flower by hand, and more than 75,000 of these flowers are needed to produce just one pound of Saffron filaments, making it the world's most precious spice. But, because of saffron's strong coloring power and intense flavor, it can be used sparingly. A little goes a long way.
Occidental International Foods, LLC
 
4 Middlebury Blvd., Suite 3   
Aspen Business Park   
Randolph, NJ 07869
Tel: 973-970-9220 
Fax: 973-970-9222
E-mail: info@occidentalfoods.com
Product is available in our New Jersey warehouse. Please contact our Sales Department for product spec sheets and price quotes on an Ex-warehouse or Delivered basis. See Contact info below or on our Contact Page
Occidental
International
Foods, LLC
 
ISO Category
 
Crocine
 
Picocrocine
 
Safranal
 
Floral Waste
 
Extraneous Matter
 
I
 
> 190
 
> 70
 
20-50
 
1%
 
0.1%
 
II
 
> 150
 
> 55
 
20-50
 
4%
 
0.5%
 
III
 
 
> 110
 
> 40
 
20-50
 
7%
 
1.0%
 
IV
 
> 80
 
> 30
 
20-50
 
10%
 
1.0%
  • Saffron is used both for its coloring power, and for its strong, intense flavor and aroma. It is used in Risotto Milanese and bouillabaisse, as well as a variety of Spanish rice dishes, including the very popular Paella. Scandinavians have long used saffron extensively in bread, rolls and cakes.
  •  
  • History:
  •  
  • Saffron has been used in cooking since the 10th century B.C. It was popular among the Phoenician traders, who carried it wherever they travelled. The ancient Assyrians used saffron for medicinal purposes. The Greeks and Romans used it to perfume their baths. The bright orange-yellow color it yields has made it important for use as a dye. Saffron is cultivated in many Mediterranean countries, as well as in the Middle East and the Near East.  Most imported saffron today comes from Spain, and is packed in Spain, but the bulk saffron filaments are often imported to Spain from other Mediterranean & Persian origin growers.
  •  
  • Quality & Grades:
  •  
  • Saffron is available both in filaments and powder, though the long, deep red filaments are usually preferable to the powder as the latter can be easily adulterated. Buyers should be aware that even as filaments, saffron is often adulterated, and many brands widely sold in the foodservice market and distributed by large broadline distributors are very poor quality, and often adulterated.
  •  
  • Saffron selected and packed in Spain traditionally was broken down into four quality categories: Coupe, Mancha, Rio, & Sierra. Today the primary grades for commercially distributed saffron filaments are based on the International Standards Organisation (ISO) 3632.2 Quality Categories I, II, III & IV.
  • Coupe quality is 100% stigmata, with all stamens & styles removed by hand. Occidental Int’l Foods is very proud to import and distribute true Coupe grade Saffron filaments, selected & packed in Spain. This quality is very rare and is not distributed by most of the larger volume importers who carry Saffron. "Mancha" Saffron as traditionally described in the past was characterized by a deep red color and very few off color filaments (stamens & styles). Typically, less than 3% of filaments would be stamens or styles in a high quality “Mancha” grade saffron. This would often correlate to ISO 3632-2 Category 1 Quality parameters. Due to rules within Spain regarding denomination of origin and controls, the term “Mancha” is rarely used anymore for commercial saffron, as it originally referred to saffron from the Castilla La Mancha region of Spain. This was in the past often the best quality of commercial saffron readily available on the market in larger volumes. "Rio" and "Sierra" qualities have a higher percentage of stamens & styles, and thus weaker coloring & flavoring power. These grades would generally correlate to ISO 3632-2 Quality Categories II & III. 
  • Unfortunately, the Saffron market in the US has been plagued by something much worse than low quality Saffron (eg. Category II, III or IV specifications). Adulterated Saffron has been prevalent in the US market for decades, even among the largest volume importers and foodservice distributors. Adulterated Saffron can be observed with simple water tests. Saffron filaments that change in shape or color after immersion in water, or which appear to leak reddish or orange color into the water are displaying clear signs of adulteration. If the water turns orange to red after 10+ minutes of immersion in lukewarm water, that is a sign of adulteration.  Pure Saffron filaments (the stigmata of Crocus sativus Linneus) will retain their deep burgundy color and will retain their shape even after 10+ minutes of immersion in water. The water should very gradually turn yellow, but should not turn orange or red. The threads should not swell or change shape or size after immersion in water, and generally should not sink.
  • For 100% Pure Saffron, Coupe grade, please contact us for more information or current price quotes. We do not sell to retail clients (only to distributors and packers), but we will happily refer you to some of our clients in your area who handle retail sales, or clients who can sell to retail clients online. Available items:
  •  
  • - Item 10110 Retail pack: 12 x 1 g Nwt display box, packed 24 display boxes per case
  • - Item 10140 Restaurant pack: 1 oz (28.34 g) Nwt cello-wrapped tin with gold string
  • - Item 10144 Bulk tin for re-packers: 1 lb (454 g) Net Wt
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  • Saffron QC Photos & Videos:
  •  
  • Below are photos of a recent QC comparison we did between our own Saffron (on the right in each photo), and sample of a major brand carried by broadline foodservice distributors across the United States. The competing brand was clearly adulterated, even to an extreme degree, with the vast majority of filaments observed to be something other than saffron stigmata! This product was labelled as “Pure Spanish Saffron” which is clearly misbranded and a violation of the Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act. Nevertheless, major foodservice distributors continue to carry brands like these without a thought to quality or even to saffron purity.