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Saffron is a natural substance that is actively used in the food industry as a dye. Food additive index – E164. The concentrate is obtained by drying and processing the cultivated plant saffron sowing. The second name is crocus yellow.
To date, this nutritional supplement has the highest cost among the products of its category. The high cost is explained by the complex technology for obtaining the dye. No more than 300 tons of E164 are produced per year. Given the active use of this component in medicine, pharmacology, cosmetology and the food industry, its high price becomes quite understandable. The production of a valuable dye is located mainly in countries where a useful plant is grown – these are Iran, India and Spain. The most valuable saffron is grown in India, and the leader in production is Iran, which accounts for at least 80% of the total annual production.
Natural yellow dye became known to mankind long before the beginning of our era. At a time when all spices were valuable and could be used as currency, saffron was worth more than gold.
E164 belongs to the group of useful additives, there are no restrictions and prohibitions on its use.
Method of obtaining
The raw materials for the production of food additives are saffron flowers. The main difficulty lies in the fact that they are collected exclusively by hand at dawn – to get 1 kg of raw materials, you need at least 150 thousand small flowers! That is why this natural dye has such a high cost.
Flowers are dried in special ovens and at certain indicators of heat and humidity. The technology is designed in such a way as to preserve the maximum amount of nutrients in each individual flower.
Enterprises engaged in the production of rare spices are located in many countries of the world – in this case we are talking about the use of imported raw materials.
Properties of substance
The appearance of saffron is dried stigmas of flowers or fine fibers, although an additive is also found in powder form. Color – rich orange, closer to red or even brown. The aroma is pronounced, spicy. The substance is completely soluble in water.
For large-scale food production, food additive E164 is packed in multilayer paper bags weighing no more than 5 kg. But most often the dye is packaged in iron cans weighing 0,5 or 1,0 kg. In retail, you can buy natural dye in bags weighing 2 g – since the cost of the product is high, only small containers are used.
It is important to use only airtight containers during storage and avoid exposure of the product to sunlight – if the air temperature is over 20 C or the wrong packaging is selected, the additive quickly loses all its valuable characteristics. The maximum shelf life of the product is 18 months from the date of collection of flowers.
Saffron colors the product yellow. The saturation of the color depends on the amount of concentrate added.
Since E164 also has a pronounced aroma, its second use in the food industry is as a natural flavor.
The nutritional value
The high nutritional value of saffron is justified by its vitamin and mineral composition:
- iron, zinc, copper, manganese and other trace elements;
- magnesium, calcium, potassium, phosphorus and other minerals;
- antioxidants;
- vitamins A, C and B (the whole group);
- flavonoids and gum.
Ancient healers believed that the spice had healing powers, and used it to treat high-ranking persons. This belief cannot be called erroneous – saffron is really useful for the human body and is actively used in modern medicine and pharmacology.
It is important to know that only natural food additive E164 is used today. Multiple attempts to create its chemical analogue were unsuccessful – the resulting substance acted as a yellow dye, but did not have a sophisticated spicy aroma.
Some manufacturers, in order to reduce the cost of the saffron dye, mix (or completely replace) turmeric or safflower in expensive raw materials. The resulting powder is yellow and almost odorless, while natural ground saffron is orange-red in color and has a strong odor.
Basically, a fake cannot harm health, since natural raw materials are also used for its production. But there will be little benefit for the body from buying a fake. To avoid cheating, it is recommended to buy non-crushed stigmas of flowers.
Additive application
In the food industry, saffron is most often used as a dye. With it, food is colored yellow, including all its shades. At the same time, the finished product receives a pleasant spicy aroma.
E164 is used to give a beautiful color to cheeses, sausages, bakery, pasta and confectionery products, ice cream and desserts. This component is also used in the alcoholic beverage industry – with the help of saffron, the color of liqueurs and wine drinks is evened out. But here you should definitely be aware of the ability of the additive to enhance the effect of alcohol at times.
In many cuisines of the world, saffron is an indispensable spice, therefore it is found both in professional kitchens and in home ones. The high cost of the dye is justified by its more than economical consumption. For example, to paint 3 l. liquid, just two dried flowers are enough.
Influence on the body
The food supplement E164 contains a substance that promotes the production of the hormone of joy. Thus, regular consumption of foods and dishes containing saffron will help fight depression, apathy, and neuroses.
The rich content of vitamins and minerals has a beneficial effect on the body as a whole – metabolic processes are normalized, digestion is restored, the liver and kidneys are cleansed of toxins and recover faster, the walls of blood vessels are strengthened. On the basis of saffron, medicines are produced to combat high cholesterol, drops to restore visual acuity, drugs that increase potency, and more.
This spice will also be useful for those who want to lose weight – the inclusion of dishes with saffron in the diet helps to suppress appetite without harm to the body. The ability of the E164 supplement to quickly cleanse the body of toxins and return a good mood allows it to be effectively used in eliminating hangover symptoms.
The regular use of saffron has a very positive effect on the condition of the skin and hair. Due to the high content of flavonoids, the aging process slows down significantly.
But do not get too carried away with saffron – in large doses, this substance, like a drug, poisons the body and causes hallucinations. With an “overdose” of E164, severe headache, lethargy, vomiting, and drowsiness may occur. However, today there is no clearly established norm for the consumption of this dye.
Pregnant women should also avoid saffron – this spice provokes uterine contractions, which can lead to termination of pregnancy at any time.