Effect of drying and storage process on Moroccan saffron quality

Storage and drying method had a significant effect (p < 0.05) on the secondary components and kaempferol-3-sophoroside-7-glucoside concentrations. Samples dried in the oven had the highest concentrations of crocins, picrocrocin and safranal, also the highest concentration of kaempferol-3-sophoroside-7-glucoside compared with samples dried in the shade. After one year of storage, crocins of samples dried in the shade, had a noticeable decrease, more than 50% of loss, especially its two main molecules: trans− 4-GG-crocins and trans− 3-Gg-crocins. Picrocrocin and kaempferol-3-sophoroside-7-glucoside also decreased whereas safranal increased. It was noticed the increasing of some cis-crocins and the disappearance of trans− 1-g. Results found, support the use of the oven: crocins increase noticeably at 40 °C of dehydration. A similar behavior is obtained for picrocrocin, safranal and kaempferol-3-sophoroside-7-glucoside.