Comprehensive Analytical Approaches for the Characterization and Quality Assessment of Saffron ( Crocus sativus L.)

Saffron (Crocus sativus L.), a highly valued spice derived from the dried stigmas of the flower, has been cultivated for centuries across the Mediterranean and Asia Minor. Its vibrant color, distinctive aroma, and therapeutic properties are attributed to bioactive compounds such as crocins, picrocrocin, and safranal. However, the high market value of saffron makes it a frequent target of adulteration with low-cost materials, including curcumin and synthetic dyes. In this study, different analytical strategies were applied to optimize the extraction of bioactive compounds to obtain a qualitatively better product. Conventional ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) was compared with rapid solid–liquid dynamic extraction (RSLDE) for efficiency and preservation of thermolabile metabolites. Extracts were evaluated for antioxidant capacity (ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP assays), total phenolic content (Folin–Ciocalteu method), and metabolic profiling by LC–MS/MS. Furthermore, an HPLC–VIS procedure was developed as a reliable alternative to the ISO 3632-1,2:2010/2011 spectrophotometric method for saffron classification, while the water content was determined by infrared balance and Karl Fischer titration instead of conventional oven drying. The results demonstrate that RSLDE yields extracts richer in antioxidants and crocins, providing an efficient, reproducible, and eco-sustainable approach for the characterization of saffron.