Stigmas, spices from

The most important considerations in marketing and estabUshing a crop from a new source are constancy of supply and quahty. Eor some spices, it is difficult to reduce labor costs, as some crops demand individual manual treatment even if grown on dedicated plantations. Only the individual stigmas of the saffron flower must be picked cinnamon bark must be cut, peeled, and roUed in strips mature unopened clove buds must be picked by hand and orchid blossoms must be hand pollinated to produce the vanilla bean. 

Saffron is the tiny stigma at the center of the crocus flower, Crocus sativus. Because each stigma is plucked from the flower by hand, saffron is one of the most expensive spices in use today. 

Food and feed additives do not stand back with regard to the diversity of products. They extend from minerals, mainly calcium, phosphorus, and potassium, to amino acids, vitamins and natural spices. All in all, there are several hundred individual compounds used as feed and food additives. The most expensive product is saffron, made from the stigmas of the saffron crocus flower. The yearly production amounts to about 700,000 kg, and the spice is retailing for about 2500/kg. Amino acids play a big role the largest product is monosodium glutamate (MSG), with a yearly production of 1.5-2 million tons and a price of about 2.30 per kilogram, followed by L-lysine (850,000 tons/ 1.50/kg), D,L-methionine (600,000 tons/ 3/kg), L-threonine (85,000 tons, 3.40/kg), and L-tryptophane (1750 tons/ 24/kg). Major producers of... 

Annatto is one of the oldest eolorants, dating back to antiquity for coloring food, cosmetics and textiles. Annatto is produced from the seeds of the tropical shrub Bixa Orellana. Saffron is also a very old colorant dating back to the 23rd century BC. It is produeed from the dried stigmas of the flowers of the crocus bulb. Crocus saliva. Saffron is known as the gourmet spice because it produces a desirable flavor and eolor. Its high price is assured because it takes about... 

Crocus sativus L (Family Iridaceae) a perennial herb, native to the Eastern Mediterranean region, is cultivated in Spain, France, Greece, Italy, India, Turkey, Iran, e.t.c. Saffron-the yellow-orange stigmas from a small purple Crocus sativus flower- is the world s most expensive spice. 

Chemically related to brazUin are the yellow mordant dyes, luteolin and morin. Both are flavone derivatives whereas the former is obtained from yellow weed or weld (Reseda luteola L.), which grows widely across Europe, the latter comes from dyer s mulberry (Madura tinctoria, syn. Morus tinctorius L.). Alum- and tin-based mordants from luteolin produce a beautiful true yellow on all textile materials. Apart from weld, saffron (Crocus sativus L.) used to be the most important yellow colourant. The ancient Greeks and Romans used the dried stigmas from this species of crocus to obtain crocin, which was absorbed onto textiles with an alum mordant. Like saffron, curcuma (also known as turmeric) serves as a colourant for foodstuffs (e.g. for mustard and curry), and as a somewhat acrid spice in Oriental and South-east Asian cuisine. Curcuma is obtained from the root nodules of, for instance. Curcuma longa L., which is cultivated in plantations in China and the East Indies. 

A perennial herb with a large fleshy conn from which leaves and flowers are produced in the fall. Flowers violet, throat of perianth bearded, anthers yellow, style armed exerted orange-red subulate tips entire or lobed. Native to the eastern Mediterranean region cultivated as an annual or perennial worldwide (Spain, France, Italy, India, etc.). Part used is the dried stigma 100,0(X)-140,000 flowers are reportedly required to yield 1 kg saffron. Hence, it is the most expensive spice. Major producing countries include Spain, France, Turkey, and India. 

Saffron, derived from stigmas of the saffron crocus, is the worid s most expensive spice, its color is caused by... 

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