Saffron
The world's most precious spice
Saffron
Saffron, nicknamed "red gold," is one of the rarest and most prized spices in the world. Derived from the Crocus sativus, a delicate flower with three purple petals, saffron is harvested by hand with meticulous precision. Each flower yields only three red filaments, called stigmas—the very heart of saffron.
A harvest of infinite delicacy
To obtain just one kilogram of pure saffron, nearly 150,000 flowers are needed, picked one by one at dawn, when the petals are still closed to preserve the quality of the stigmas. This meticulous, entirely manual work demands expertise, patience, and passion. This is what gives saffron its exceptional value and unique character.
The treasures of the pistil
The saffron stigma contains three essential components:
- Crocin, which gives it its intense red color and natural coloring power.
- Picrocrocin is responsible for its subtle and slightly bitter taste.
- Safranal, a rare aromatic molecule, is the source of its warm and captivating fragrance.
These elements are markers of purity and quality, measured according to the ISO 3632 standard. The higher the levels of crocin, picrocrocin and safranal, the more noble the saffron.
The subtlety of the nuances, the expression of the flavors
Derived from the delicate flowers of the crocus, saffron comes in several varieties, each revealing a unique aromatic richness. From Sargol, intensely red and powerful, to Negin, with its long and refined filaments, to Pushal, balanced and authentic, each variety embodies ancestral know-how.
Three expressions of the same treasure, cultivated with patience, harvested by hand, and prized for its color, fragrance, and incomparable finesse.
One Treasure, Three Expressions
Saffron is classified into different grades according to the length, color, and purity of the threads.
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Sargol - consisting only of the red tips of the stigma, without any yellow parts, it offers an intense color and a strong aromatic flavor, well-suited for everyday cooking.
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Negin
- long, uniform, entirely red threads, without any yellow tips, with superior aromatic and coloring power and a more attractive appearance than Sargol.
• Super Negin - the most refined grade, with the longest and thickest threads, perfectly whole and free of impurities, offering exceptional aroma and coloring power.
A universal spice
From ancient Persia to Spain, from India to Morocco, saffron has traversed civilizations. Used for over 3,000 years, it was prized for its culinary, medicinal, and symbolic virtues. Even today, it remains synonymous with refinement, tradition, and authenticity.
L’excellence Planet Safran
At Planet Safran, we select only whole stigmas, rich in aroma and color, from the finest terroirs in the world. Each batch is tested, certified, and carefully packaged to guarantee freshness, intensity, and purity—so you can discover the very essence of this exceptional spice.
About Planet-Safran
Welcome to Planet-Safran, the Swiss benchmark for exceptional saffron. Our mission is simple: to offer the world the very best saffron, cultivated with passion, harvested by hand, and selected for its incomparable purity, aroma, and color.
The art of saffron, a global passion
We work directly with renowned producers from Iran, Afghanistan, Morocco, Spain and other exceptional terroirs. Each yarn we offer is the result of ancestral know-how, passed down from generation to generation, and an absolute demand for quality.
Quality, freshness and traceability
At Planet-Safran, quality is never a compromise. Each batch is rigorously controlled, laboratory tested and packaged in Switzerland to guarantee optimal freshness and total traceability - from the field to your table.
Natural luxury
We believe that true luxury lies in the purity of nature and respect for the product. That's why our saffron is 100% natural, without additives, and presented in refined packaging that preserves its aroma and beauty.
Our promise
To offer our customers exceptional saffron, worthy of the finest tables and the most demanding connoisseurs. Planet-Safran is the meeting of taste, passion and excellence.
