Determination of Anthocyanin Content in Saffron Petals of Herat Province

Saffron is a valuable product that is semi-resistant to drought and is used in various cases, including in the food industry as a flavoring agent and in the medical industry as a sedative, anti-depressant, and anti-heart disease. In Afghanistan, only saffron stigma is used, and thousands of tons of saffron petals are thrown away as waste. In contrast, saffron petals have a high amount of anthocyanin that can be used in the food industry instead of artificial colors, which, in addition to having a bright color, is not harmful and has anti-cancer and anti-virus properties. An experiment was conducted to determine the amount of anthocyanin content in saffron petals on 80 samples from Ghorian, Pashtoonzarghon, Gozarah, and Karokh districts in the autumn of 1397 using a spectrometric method in the Food Technology Laboratory Faculty of Agriculture, Herat University. The results of this study showed that the Gozarah District with (1691 mg / L) had the highest amount of anthocyanin in petals, and the lowest amount of anthocyanin (1469 mg / L) was recorded in saffron petals of the Ghorian District. The difference in the amount of anthocyanin among different regions depends on different environmental factors, such as agricultural operations and the type of saffron corn. The findings of the research showed that by extracting anthocyanin from saffron petals and using it in the food industry and medicine, not only the loss of this major and valuable part of the saffron flower is prevented, but it will help in the economic development of farmers and the country.