The Spanish Saffron Scandal

The Spanish Saffron Scandal
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By h.b. - Feb 2, 2011 - 2:06 PM
El País newspaper recently drew attention to a widespread fraud in the sale of Saffron in Spain, and a similar item was published in the British newspaper, The Independent.

The Saffron Crocus - Photo EFE

The area of La Mancha is at the centre of the growth of the saffron crocus from which the world’s most expensive spice by weight is taken. A kilo of the spice from the region costs about 3,000 €, and needs about 250,000 saffron roses. Each flower offers up a mere three strands, coming from the stigmas which collect the pollen.

Spain produced some 1,500 kilos of saffron in 2010, but exported nearly 190,000 kilos to other countries according to the Ministry of Industry. So how is that possible?

It’s a massive fraud. Spanish companies are selling saffron as Spanish when they have imported it from other countries, above all Iran, Morocco, India and Greece. Small farmers union ASAJA considers that as much as 90% of the saffron exported from Spain is fraudulent.

Last year the practice obtained 47 million € for the Spanish companies as Iranian saffron, for example, costs only between 1,000 and 1500 € per kilo, but is quality is very poor. It’s grown in fields which are never given a chance to recover, and the strands produced are finer.

Some Iranian companies have now established in Spain taking advantage of the ambiguous labelling of the product here. They claim that the practice is not illegal as the spice is treated here.

Indeed, current regulations in Spain only demand details of the company which packs or exports the saffron to be placed on the label. Naming the country of origin is not obligatory.

Now however the Ministry for Industry has suggested new regulations which would oblige the country of origin to be placed on the label.

However some of the Spanish companies are set to lose out by any change. The Spanish product has a high reputation, but the national production is nowhere near enough to meet demand.

Good quality real saffron can be identified by taking time to colour the food, but then giving an intense yellow colour. Good saffron also has a strong and pleasant

Saffron - Photo EFE

odour.

You have to watch out that other parts of the plant are also included to increase the weight. Some products contain as much as 90% from other parts of the plant, and not the strands from the stigma. Another trick is to dampen the plant to make the strands swell and weigh more.

The official denomination (D.O.)which confirms that the spice has been grown in La Mancha is now also including a drawing of a saffron rose on the packaging.

See the saffron on offer by our partner shop, La Tienda – here

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