Saffron Cultivation – Processing the Red Gold
Saffron or crocus sativus, also known as the priciest spice on the planet or red gold, is derived from the word za-faran in Arabic, which means "be yellow". When soaking the saffron stamens/threads in water, the liquid is infused with a deep yellow coloring. Organic saffron infused with water forms the base of all of our Saffron Secret products providing a rich concoction that we refer to as Aqua Azafrán. Azafrán is Spanish for saffron, and this is where our organically grown saffron is harvested. Despite for the fact that the vast majority of saffron comes from Iran followed by Kashmir, we wished to utilize the best quality and strength of high grade saffron in our products.
Labor Intensive Harvesting by Hand
In the early fall morning around October, our experienced cultivation team sets out
for the fields to hand pick our exclusively grown saffron. The team needs to be on
standby over a 3 week period, as it is imperative that the saffron be picked as soon
as it blooms before the flowers wither and vanish. The harvesting of our saffron is
especially labor intensive with approximately 400 hours of labor required to produce
one kilogram of dried stigma from up to 250,000 crocus flowers. Each crocus flower
weighs around 2mg and only 3 stigma, which is the component of the saffron spice,
are used.
Processing the Red Gold
Once the arduous and delicate removal of the 3 stigma from each crocus flower is
completed, we begin a drying process with our developed methodology to enhance
the qualities of our saffron. The drying phase reduces moisture levels and boosts the
release of heightened levels of unique saffron properties. The dried saffron is then
stored in airtight packaging and shipped to Saffron Secret formularies.
The Outcome is yours to Enjoy
In line with ancient traditions and modern day research, Saffron Secret is proud to
bring you a line of beauty products that hone the unique rich properties of our red
gold, encompassing the secrets of saffron, for your beauty needs.
