Exploring the Potential of ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr Isotope Ratio with Strontium and Rubidium Levels to Assess the Geographic Origin of Saffron.

ABSTRACT: Saffron is regarded as the most expensive spice, mainly because of its laborious harvest. Only a few countries dominate the global saffron market, with Iran producing by far the most saffron, and the saffron production of all other countries thus being much smaller. However, the respective national production (not only of saffron) is usually preferred by local consumers with respect to foreign products and often has a higher price. Cases of saffron with mislabeled geographic origin have repeatedly occurred. Thus, to protect local saffron production, control of the declared geographic origin is required. In the present case, differentiation of the geographic origin by ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr is performed. The results show the saffron of several countries of origin to vary within the

SUBMITTER: Horacek M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10416822 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature