Saffron
SaffronSaffron is the dried stigma of the saffron crocus, used as both a colour and a flavour. It is the most expensive spice by weight, which limits its use as a colouring to dishes where its flavour is also wanted.
Where it is and isn’t permitted
| Jurisdiction | Status | Scope and limits | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Permitted | 21 CFR 73.500retrieved 2026-09-07 | |
| Codex Alimentarius | Not listedDoes not appear on this jurisdiction’s permitted list. That is not the same as being prohibited. |
What it is made from
Hand-harvested stigmas of Crocus sativus. The yellow colour comes from crocin, a water-soluble carotenoid, which is unusual among carotenoids in dissolving readily in water.
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
Every name it appears under
1 recorded name. A label may use any of them.
As it appears in regulation
- Saffron
Hazard reference values
No reference value for this substance in the sources we hold.
Evidence and how bodies read it
Studies, and the differing conclusions regulators drew from them, are curated by hand rather than machine-read, and none has been written for this substance yet.
Sources for this page
- ecfr retrieved 2026-09-07
Full licence terms and publisher details on Sources. How this page is built and updated: Method.
Machine-readable:/api/v1/additives/saffron.json