Evaluation of Physiochemical and Microbial Changes in Saffron During One Year Storage

In the present study an investigation was done on the physiochemical and microbial properties of saffron during 12 months after harvesting. Saffron was harvested from Torbat Heidarieh (a city in Khorasan Province), stigmas were separated by workers and the samples were dried in sieve by an electrical heater (Spanish method) at 550C for 45 minutes until they reached the desired moisture content (according to Saffron National Standard). Second sorting was done, and then the samples were packed in polyethylene films at 20-25 0C and stored in lab. Sampling was taken monthly and analyzed for physiochemical and microbial properties including: moisture content, aqueous extract, crocin, picrocrocin, saffranal, total count, coliform and mold count. All experiments were done according to saffron national standard method. Moisture content, aqueous extract, crocin, picrocrocin and total count decreased during storage; however saffranal showed an increasing trend. Analysis of data indicated that the largest variations during one year storage has occurred from the beginning of harvesting time (December) to 8 months after storage (July), and after that variations were not statistically different (P>0.05).