Optimal and allowed amount of saffron to be taken in a month: Taking 3 g of saffron per month is a healthy and useful diet. Using saffron above 5 g may be harmful. Taking five grams of saffron in a single occasion may lead to death.

Storage: Saffron should be exposed to light and be kept in a dry place during storage. For storage, saffron should be held in sealed ass or metal vessels. Remember that the essence of saffron is volatizable, therefore don’t forget to close the lid. Leaving the vessels exposed to air reduces the medicinal effect and quality of saffron.

Saffron uses: Saffron is used to give desirable fragrance and color to foods. For this reason, it is widely used in sausage making, confectionary (to develop cake powders), pharmacy (to prepare anti-depressants), textile industry (as a dye to paint silk fabrics), alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage production (as a natural flavor) and in dairy industry etc.

Preparation

Saffron may be used in these ways:

• Infused saffron or saffron drink: Pour two grams of saffron in a litter of boiling water and leave it to boil mildly and be infused.
• Saffron tincture: Rub one gram saffron and mix it with 10 g of white alcohol (80° proof) and keep the mixture in a sealed glass vessel. Put the glass in a dark place and shake it everyday. Filter the mixture after two weeks and use it.
• Saffron powder: Dry saffron at 25° and crush. Use a sieve with small opening to obtain a fine powder.

Note

Never crush saffron simultaneously with sugar or sugar powder because though it produces a good color at first it will lose its color completely after a while.

Our suggestion for infusing saffron

Usually boiling water is poured over saffron and let it be infused but we recommend a new procedure. Put saffron in a glass, add a small piece of ice and let it melt in the ambient temperature. You will get a satisfactory infused drink with pleasant color.