TY - JOUR
T1 - Determination of free amino acids and ammonium ion in saffron (Crocus sativus L.) from different geographical origins
AU - Priscila Del Campo, C.
AU - Garde-Cerdán, Teresa
AU - Sánchez, Ana M.
AU - Maggi, Luana
AU - Carmona, Manuel
AU - Alonso, Gonzalo L.
PY - 2009
Y1 - 2009
N2 - Amino acids are important in human nutrition and also influence the sensory traits of products. Up to
now, no report has been available on the free amino acid content of saffron spice. This study developed
a rapid method for the extraction of free amino acids and ammonium ion from saffron, thus permitting
the differentiation of saffron samples by origin. The first step tested the extraction time (15, 30, 60, 120
and 240 min) and extractive solvent (water, 0.1 N HCl, 0.5 N HCl and 1 N HCl). The best results for the free
amino acids and ammonium ion extraction were obtained using 0.1 N HCl during 60 min. Subsequently,
these compounds were derivatised using diethyl ethoxymethylenemalonate (DEEMM) and analysed by
HPLC. Using this method, 20 saffron samples from different countries (Spain, Italy, Greece and Iran) were
analysed. Alanine, proline and aspartic acid were the major amino acids in all the samples. Alanine presented
the maximum value in Iranian samples with 0.17 ± 0.02 mg/100 mg of saffron. The highest concentration
of proline (0.087 ± 0.01 mg/100 mg) appeared in Greek samples and the maximum value of
aspartic acid was 0.04 ± 0.01 mg/100 mg in Spanish samples. Greek and Iranian saffron presented the
highest total free amino acid content, 0.50 ± 0.08 mg/100 mg and 0.55 ± 0.07 mg/100 mg, respectively.
Furthermore, the free amino acid profile enabled us to differentiate the Iranian samples from the European
samples (p < 0.05).
AB - Amino acids are important in human nutrition and also influence the sensory traits of products. Up to
now, no report has been available on the free amino acid content of saffron spice. This study developed
a rapid method for the extraction of free amino acids and ammonium ion from saffron, thus permitting
the differentiation of saffron samples by origin. The first step tested the extraction time (15, 30, 60, 120
and 240 min) and extractive solvent (water, 0.1 N HCl, 0.5 N HCl and 1 N HCl). The best results for the free
amino acids and ammonium ion extraction were obtained using 0.1 N HCl during 60 min. Subsequently,
these compounds were derivatised using diethyl ethoxymethylenemalonate (DEEMM) and analysed by
HPLC. Using this method, 20 saffron samples from different countries (Spain, Italy, Greece and Iran) were
analysed. Alanine, proline and aspartic acid were the major amino acids in all the samples. Alanine presented
the maximum value in Iranian samples with 0.17 ± 0.02 mg/100 mg of saffron. The highest concentration
of proline (0.087 ± 0.01 mg/100 mg) appeared in Greek samples and the maximum value of
aspartic acid was 0.04 ± 0.01 mg/100 mg in Spanish samples. Greek and Iranian saffron presented the
highest total free amino acid content, 0.50 ± 0.08 mg/100 mg and 0.55 ± 0.07 mg/100 mg, respectively.
Furthermore, the free amino acid profile enabled us to differentiate the Iranian samples from the European
samples (p < 0.05).
KW - Nitrogen compounds
KW - Origin differentiation
KW - Saffron composition
KW - Nitrogen compounds
KW - Origin differentiation
KW - Saffron composition
UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10807/28884
U2 - 10.1016/j.foodchem.2008.11.034
DO - 10.1016/j.foodchem.2008.11.034
M3 - Article
SN - 0308-8146
VL - 114
SP - 1542
EP - 1548
JO - Food Chemistry
JF - Food Chemistry
ER -