Chemical, biochemical and volatile profiles of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) from different growing areas of Morocco

Background

The saffron (Crocus sativus L.) planted area and production increased in the past decade in Morocco. This crop has been extended to new regions beyond its original main area due to the shift in climate conditions. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the chemical characterization and the quality of saffron stigma samples collected from 11 different localities.

Results

According to the ISO3632 standard method, all samples were within the ISO36-32.2010 categorization range (category I and II) Contents of crocin responsible for color, picrocrocin responsible for taste, and safranal responsible for the aroma, showed significant differences between samples from different areas. The biochemical analysis revealed that samples from Boulmane (Serghina and El Mers) are rich in polyphenols (5.70 ± 0.34; 5.31 ± 0.004 mg GAE/g DW, respectively) and have an important antioxidant power (IC₅₀ for the DPPH: 231.12 ± 1.065; 236.77 ± 2109 respectively) compared to those from Taznakht and Taliouine known for their higher organoleptic quality. Interestingly, volatile profiling by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry identified the safranal, isophorone, ketoisophorone, ß-isophorone, and 1-4-cyclohexanedione, 2,2,6-trimethyl as the main volatile compounds in saffron samples from different regions.

Conclusion

This study is the first to be conducted in Morocco on saffron newly cultivated in new regions (Boulmane, Azilal, and Ain Leuh) and showed the higher potential for growing saffron, thus promoting the adoption of saffron as a substitute crop for the socio-economic development in these new areas.