0. Executive Summary
Judgment axis | Key judgment |
| Item Identity | Saffron is a stigma-centered dried spice product obtained from the flowers of Crocus sativus L. of the Iridaceae family. Kew recognizes C. sativus as an accepted species and describes it as a cultigen of Greek origin. ( Plants of the World Online ) |
| Key role | A minute amount of dried floral part is utilized as a high-value food ingredient for its spice, flavor, and color properties, while filament, cut filament, and powder are managed as independent products. Codex CXS 351-2022 and ISO 3632-1:2025 serve as the core basis of the international quality system. ( Open Knowledge FAO ) |
| Harvesting principle | After harvesting the flowers during the blooming season, the pistil at the center of the stigma is separated, and the product is commercialized through rapid drying and sorting. Specific harvest times and drying temperatures are entered after verifying the origin, process, and buyer criteria. |
| Product separation | Separate into Fresh Flower → Separated Stigma/Style → Dried Filament → Cut Filament → Powder → Extract. |
| Separation of similar items | Do not confuse C. sativus with other Crocus species. In Kew, since Crocus officinalis is a synonym of C. sativus, it is managed as a Search Alias rather than a separate Plant Entity. ( Plants of the World Online ) |
| Domestic statistics | Since the official raw data figures for the independent cultivation area and production volume of saffron in South Korea, as per national approved statistics, were not verified in this v1.0 version, they will be entered after verification of the official raw data at a later date . |
| Supply and demand risk | High-priced, small-volume transactions, reliance on manual labor, concentration of flowering and harvesting periods, variations in drying quality, authenticity, contamination, and powder adulteration, moisture, foreign matter, microorganisms, and pesticide residues, and international prices and exchange rates are the key risks. |
| Operating Principles | Species-Corm-Field-Flower Harvest-Stigma Separation-Drying Lot-Filament/Powder Lot-ISO/Codex Quality-Buyer Connect RFQ. |
| Final goal | We build a highly reliable RFQ Intelligence that connects authenticity, plant parts, origin, harvest, drying, quality, and buyer specifications, rather than simply registering high-value spices as products. |
1. Plant Identity & Product Master
Basic fields | detail |
| Korean name | saffron |
| English name | Saffron |
| Representative scientific name | Crocus sativus L. |
| classification | Iridaceae → Crocus → C. sativus |
| Edible parts | Mainly floral stigma, including some styles depending on the product according to international standards. |
| Non-edible · Separate management | Petals, tepals, stamens, ovaries, leaves, corms, etc. are separated from saffron spice products. |
| Major harvesting stages | Isolation of pistil stigma after flower harvesting during the flowering period |
| Basic product form | Fresh stigma/style·Dried Filament·Cut Filament·Powder·Extract |
| Basic processing stage | Flower harvesting → Stigma separation → Drying → Sorting → Grading → Cutting, grinding, or extraction |
| Basic use | Food, confectionery, beverage, and cooking ingredients for spices, colors, and flavors |
| Similarity Principle | Other Crocus species are managed as separate Plant Entities, and synonyms as Aliases. |
Kew classifies Crocus sativus L. as an accepted species and describes it as a cultigen of Greek origin. Crocus officinalis (L.) Honck. is currently a synonym of C. sativus. ( Plants of the World Online )
Codex CXS 351-2022 defines dried saffron as a product obtained from the stigma with part of style of the C. sativus flower , distinguishing the botanical positions of stigma and style. ( FAOHome )
Product Master
Product | Product stage | Key Management Standards |
| Saffron Corm Lot | breeding materials | Scientific name · Origin · Corm Size · Soundness · Lot |
| Field/Plant Lot | production stage | Corm Lot · Cultivation Site · Planting Date · Year of Cultivation |
| Fresh Flower Lot | Harvested raw materials | Flowering date, harvest date, flower condition, weight |
| Separated Pistil Lot | Preprocessing | stigma/style Separation Status · Work Date · Original Flower Lot |
| Fresh Stigma Lot | raw material | Color, damage, foreign matter, separation time |
| Drying Lot | Core primary processing | Raw Material Lot · Time · Temperature · Method · Termination Status |
| Saffron Filament | Basic B2B Product | stigma/style composition·color·scent·moisture·foreign matter |
| Cut Filament | Standard Product | Style removal degree · Filament length · Purity |
| Premium Filament | Specific Grade | Color, shape, impurities, ISO/Codex/Buyer standards |
| Ground Saffron | Crushed product | Raw Material Lot, Particle Size, Authenticity, and Contamination Prevention |
| Saffron Powder | B2B powder | Purity, particle size, color, scent, and component analysis |
| Saffron Extract | Extracted products | Raw Material Lot · Solvent · Concentration · Batch |
| Saffron Ingredient Blend | Blended ingredients | Saffron Ratio · Other Ingredients · Labeling |
| Buyer-specific Saffron | specific uses | Quality grade, color, scent, packaging, safety |
| Petal/Floral By-product | by-product | Separation from saffron spice, legal verification by use |
2. Product Classification & Use Segmentation
Classification criteria | Subdivision type | Management principles |
| Plant classification | Crocus sativus L. | Separated from other Crocus species |
| breeding materials | Corm | Spice Product and separate entity |
| plant parts | Flower·Stigma·Style·Petal·Corm | Plant Part Required Value |
| Harvesting stage | After bud, bloom, and full bloom | Connected to actual stigma quality |
| Cultivation method | Open field, greenhouse, and experimental cultivation | Management by region and cultivation environment |
| Year of cultivation | Official first year, subsequent years, etc. | Field Runtime |
| origin | Country → Region → Farm | Traceability |
| Product form | Filament·Cut Filament·Powder | ISO/Codex Product Separation |
| Processing form | Dried · Ground · Extract · Blend | Separate Product ID |
| Quality grade | ISO/Codex/Buyer Grade | Manage test methods and versions together |
| Final use | Cooking, confectionery, beverages, dairy products, sauces, etc. | Application Profile |
| Transaction type | Spot · Regular Supply · Contract Farming · PB | RFQ connection |
| certification | Organic, geographical indication, food safety, etc. | Actual certificate verification |
3. Production, Harvest & Post-harvest
step | Essential Dataset | Management purpose |
| Cultivation plan | Scientific Name · Cultivation Area · Area · Target Buyer | Production plan |
| Secure Corm | Supplier·Size·Soundness·Lot | Verification of breeding materials |
| Corm save | Storage conditions/period | Official full quality |
| formula | Formal date, depth, density, section | Production history |
| Germination and growth | Germination date and leaf growth | Growth condition |
| rising | Temperature, rainfall, humidity, solar radiation, and abnormal weather | Flowering and Production Risk |
| Watering | Timing, Water Source, Supply Amount | Growth management |
| dispute | Materials, timing, and usage | Production and Safety |
| pests | Occurrence, Control, and Chemicals | Corm · Flower Loss |
| Flowering prediction | Growth, temperature, and previous year's data | Labor force deployment |
| flowering | Flowering date and number of flowers | Harvest Planning |
| Flower harvest judgment | Flowering status, weather, and quality | Harvesting at the right time |
| Flower harvest | Date, Time Zone, Section, Weight | Flower Lot |
| Flower transport | Harvesting → Separation Time | Quality preservation |
| Stigma separation | Work days, work units, and yield | Create Core Product |
| Selection | style·stamen·petal·foreign matter removal | water |
| dry | Method, temperature, time, final state | Color, Aroma, Shelf Life |
| stabilization | Cooling and conditioning after drying | Quality uniformity |
| Quality inspection | Analysis regarding moisture, color, scent, foreign matter, and ISO | Grade |
| packaging | Light, moisture, and oxygen blockage, weight | Quality maintenance |
| save | Period, Environment, Inventory | Quality degradation management |
| shipment | Buyer · Shipment Date · Lot | RFQ implementation |
| cutting | Cut Filament Manufacturing | Product Separation |
| smash | Powder manufacturing | High-risk authenticity management |
| extraction | Solvent · Concentration · Batch | Extract Product |
| Corm recall/renewal | Production cycle, division, soundness | Next Runtime |
4. Quality Specification & Lot Management
The quality of saffron is not determined solely by its appearance. The international standard ISO 3632 framework provides specifications and test methods for the quality evaluation of saffron, and the current specification standard is ISO 3632-1:2025. ( ISO )
Quality items | Fresh Flower/Stigma | Dried Filament | Cut Filament | Powder | Extract · Finished Product | Public rating |
| scientific name | essential | essential | Raw material inheritance | Raw material inheritance | tracking | Public/Verified |
| plant parts | flower/stigma | stigma+allowed style | stigma center | Raw material inheritance | Raw material inheritance | Public/Verified |
| mountainous district | essential | essential | succession | succession | tracking | Public/Verified |
| Cultivation sites and farms | essential | essential | Raw material connection | Raw material connection | tracking | Verified |
| Corm Lot | essential | succession | succession | succession | tracking | Verified |
| Flower Lot | essential | succession | succession | succession | tracking | Verified |
| Lot | essential | essential | essential | essential | essential | Verified/NDA |
| Flowering and harvest dates | essential | succession | succession | succession | tracking | Verified |
| appearance | Flower · stigma state | Color and shape | filament shape | Powder color | By product | Member |
| weight | Flower/Stigma | Net weight | Net weight | Net weight | By product | NDA |
| rating | Internal grade of raw material | ISO/Codex/Buyer | ISO/Codex/Buyer | ISO/Codex/Buyer | By product | Member/Verified |
| Floral waste | Separate management | Key Review | core | Raw material verification | — | Verified |
| Extraneous matter | check | core | core | core | core | Verified |
| Style ratio | Separate records | By product style | core | Raw material inheritance | — | Verified |
| moisture | reference | core | core | core | By product | Verified |
| Color quality | reference | Analysis and Sensory | analyze | analyze | Application | Verified |
| incense | reference | core | core | core | core | Member/Verified |
| Taste/Bitterness Characteristics | — | analyzable | analyze | analyze | Application | Verified |
| authenticity | Plant verification | core | core | Top priority | Raw material verification | Verified/NDA |
| Mixing with other plants | check | test | test | Reinforcement verification | Raw material verification | Verified/NDA |
| Added dyes/external substances | — | subjects of inspection | test | high risk | By product | Verified/NDA |
| pesticide residues | Cultivation history | test | Raw material inheritance | Raw material inheritance | Compliant with standards | Verified/NDA |
| microorganism | If necessary | test | test | core | By product | Verified/NDA |
| Drying history | — | essential | succession | succession | succession | Verified/NDA |
| Grinding history | — | — | — | essential | succession | Verified/NDA |
| Extraction history | — | — | — | — | essential | NDA |
| packaging | transit | core | core | core | essential | Member/Verified |
| save | short-term | core | core | core | By product | Verified |
| Consumption/Preservation Period | — | Supplier Standards | Supplier Standards | By product | essential | Verified |
| Shipment | essential | essential | essential | essential | essential | Verified |
| Returns | record | record | record | record | record | NDA |
| Claim | record | record | record | record | record | NDA |
| Repurchase | — | Buyer Connection | Buyer Connection | Buyer Connection | Buyer Connection | NDA |
Lot Master Required Field
Lot ID · Item/Product Type · Scientific Name · Plant Part · Corm Lot · Cultivation Type · Country/Origin/Cultivation Area · Producer · Planting Date · Cultivation Year · Flowering Date · Flower Harvest Date · Stigma Isolation Date · Drying Date · Quality Indicators · Weight/Specifications/Grade · Filament/Cut Filament/Powder Classification · Style/Floral Waste/Foreign Matter Check · Authenticity Verification · Pesticide Usage Records · Pesticide Residue/Microbiological Reports · ISO/Codex Test Results · Drying/Storage History · Raw Material Lot · Grinding/Extraction Processing History · Packaging Date · Use-by Date/Shelf Life · Shipper · Returns/Claims · Repurchase
5. Korea Market & Demand Structure
Customers | Purchase criteria | Cooperation opportunities |
| Domestic saffron farms | Corm Quality, Cultivation Techniques, and Sales Outlets | contract production |
| Mountain production organization | Joint harvesting · Stigma separation · Drying | joint processing |
| Spices import and distribution company | Origin · ISO Grade · Authenticity · Lot | Global RFQ |
| Premium food ingredient distributor | Whole Filament · Origin · Purity | Premium Market |
| Hotel · Fine Dining | Scent, Color, Filament Quality, Small Packaging | Premium B2B |
| food service companies | Flavor, Price, Packaging | Regular supply |
| Confectionery and Bakery | Powder/Filament · Color · Scent | Product Application |
| Beverage manufacturer | Color, scent, and extractability | Beverage Ingredient |
| Dairy products and desserts | Uniform color and scent | Saffron Ingredient |
| Food manufacturer | Safety, Purity, and Standardization | B2B Ingredient |
| HMR · Meal Kit | Small-batch standardization · Recipe | Premium HMR |
| Distribution/Online | Authenticity, Country of Origin, Packaging, Labeling | Retail |
| PB | Raw Material Traceability · OEM · MOQ | Premium PB |
| Local specialty product business operator | The distinctiveness of domestic saffron | Local Premium Product |
| exporters | Target Country Standards · Origin · ISO | K-Saffron processed products |
| Research and technology institutions | Corm · Cultivation · Drying · Quality · Authenticity | Joint R&D |
6. Trade & Supply-chain Intelligence
step | Key variables | Operational judgment |
| Corm · cultivation | Quality, Origin, Cultivation History | production base |
| Flowering and harvesting | Flowering concentration, manpower, weather | Harvest Risk |
| Stigma separation | Labor, time, purity | Quality and yield |
| dry | Process, Moisture, Color, Scent | Marketability |
| Selection and grading | filament·style·foreign matter | Grade |
| Mountain storage | Light, moisture, oxygen, period | Quality maintenance |
| export | Origin·Lot·Certificate | Trade Traceability |
| International shipping | Small quantity, high-value cargo, security | Loss and Forgery Risk |
| Import customs clearance | HS · Country of Origin · Food Inspection | Compliance with regulations |
| Domestic storage | Security·Inventory·Lot | Asset and Quality Management |
| smash | Increased risk of authenticity and contamination | Powder Control |
| Extraction and Blending | Ingredient Ratio · Batch | Ingredient |
| Food manufacturing | Application·Recipe | finished product |
| RFQ · Delivery | Buyer Spec · Test Report | transaction |
| Repurchase | Evaluation, Authenticity, Quality, Price | Supplier Score |
Trade Dataset
item | v1.0 processing |
| Basic HS | HS 091020 Saffron Check ( EUR-Lex ) |
| Korean HS-K 10-digit | Subsequent verification of raw data by the Korea Customs Service |
| Domestic import volume | Input after official verification of raw data |
| Domestic import value | Input after official verification of raw data |
| Major origins | Input after verifying country-specific customs clearance data by the Korea Customs Service |
| Export volume and value | Subsequent verification of official raw data |
| Customs clearance unit price | Calculation after matching weight, price, and product range |
| Filament/Powder Separation | Verification of separate classification in HS statistics |
| Extract | Verification of separate classification of raw material saffron from the HS |
| FTA | Verification by Agreement, HS, and Rule of Origin |
| Quarantine | Check separately by condition: corm, fresh flowers, and dried saffron |
| Food inspection | MFDS Verification of Imported Food and Spices Standards |
7. Processing, By-products & PRP Intelligence
Products and processes | Key conditions | RFQ conversion |
| Fresh Flower | Flowering status and harvest date | Stigma Processing |
| Fresh Stigma | Separation time and purity | Drying RFQ |
| Stigma + Limited Style | Codex Product Definition | Filament |
| Dried Filament | Color, scent, moisture, purity | Premium B2B |
| Cut Filament | Style removal · Shape | Specific Buyer |
| Ground Saffron | Raw Material Lot · Grinding Environment | Food Processor |
| Saffron Powder | Authenticity, particle size, and quality | Beverage/Bakery |
| Saffron Extract | Raw materials, solvents, and concentration | Food Ingredient |
| Saffron Blend | Saffron Content · Auxiliary Ingredients | HMR·Beverage |
| Petal | flower by-product | Utilization after separate research |
| Stamen | Stigma and floral parts | Separated from saffron spice |
| Style Excess | sorting by-products | Separate if Codex/Buyer allowance is exceeded |
| Corm Offsets | Breeding resources | For next-generation production |
| Defective Corm | disease and decay | Disposal and pest control management |
| Crushed residue | Process by-products | Tracking and disposal |
PRP — Product Research Profile
Saffron PRP operates with the following structure.
Species Identity → Corm Profile → Origin → Field/Crop Year → Flowering Profile → Harvest Timing → Stigma Separation → Drying Profile → Filament Purity → ISO/Codex Quality → Authenticity Profile → Storage Stability → Powder/Extract Processing → Application Test → Buyer Specification → RFQ Performance
8. AX Transformation
first of all | Execution item | Performance indicators |
| 1 | Species·Corm·Origin·Flowering·Harvest Date·Lot made mandatory | Essential Field Completion Rate |
| 2 | Flower·Stigma·Filament·Powder·Extract Product Separation | Product identification rate |
| 3 | Linking weather, growth, flowering, number of flowers, and harvest data | Field–Harvest connection rate |
| 4 | Stigma Separation and Drying Process Data Conversion | Processing record rate |
| 5 | ISO/Codex Quality, Certificate, and Authenticity Data Linkage | COA–Lot connection rate |
| 6 | Video AI Flower · Stigma Separation · Foreign Object Inspection | Automatic inspection accuracy |
| 7 | Video AI filament appearance, color, and style ratio evaluation | Grade prediction accuracy |
| 8 | Flowering date and yield prediction | Harvest Forecast error |
| 9 | Flower → Stigma → Dried Saffron Yield Management | Yield data completion rate |
| 10 | Powder adulteration anomaly detection | Abnormal Lot Detection Rate |
| 11 | Product–Buyer AI Match | RFQ → Sample Conversion Rate |
| 12 | Buyer Rating, Authenticity, and Repurchase Runtime Connection | Repurchase rate · Claim rate |
9. Industry Problem Bank
Problem group | Problem Definition | Required data |
| Species Authenticity | Risk of contamination with other crocuses or plant materials | Scientific name and authenticity test |
| Corm Identity | Verification of breed and health is necessary at the breeding material stage. | Corm Lot |
| Concentration of flowering | Concentration of work during the short blooming period | Flowering prediction · Manpower |
| Flower harvest delay | Quality may vary if harvesting and separation are delayed | Harvest time · Separation time |
| Stigma separation labor-intensive | Manual work incurs costs and discrepancies | Working time · Yield |
| Style Inclusion Variation | Impact of differences in product type and grade | Stigma/Style Ratio |
| Floral waste | Contamination of petals, stamens, etc. | Screening test |
| Drying deviation | Changes in color, aroma, moisture, and shelf life | Drying process |
| Moisture management | Quality and storage risks due to excessive moisture | Moisture test |
| Authenticity and forgery | Risk of contamination by external substances due to the nature of high-value products | Authenticity Dataset |
| Powder high risk | It is difficult to verify the authenticity of powder with the naked eye. | Microscope · Chemistry · Raw Material Lot |
| Color and scent deviations | Differences in characteristics based on origin, drying, and storage | ISO Analysis · Sensory |
| pesticide residues | Safety of highly concentrated small-batch raw materials | Pesticide Records · COA |
| Microorganisms and foreign substances | Safety Management of Dried Spices | Testing and hygiene |
| Traceability of origin | High-priced origin mislabeling/mixing risk | Farm–Lot–Trade |
| International price fluctuations | Impact of supply volume, quality, and exchange rates | Price and Import Statistics |
| Quantity unit error | Price comparison distortion in gram-kg small-volume transactions | Standard units |
| Discrepancy with laboratory standards | Differences in test methods and standard editions | ISO Version·Method |
| Buyer Grade Discrepancy | Difference between ISO Grade and Buyer's Internal Grade | RFQ Spec |
| Repurchase not reflected | Actual usage evaluation is not linked to raw material Lot | Buyer Evaluation |
10. Farmer RFQ & Collaboration Model
RFQ Type | Public Registration | Verify/NDA |
| Corm purchasing and supply | Scientific name · General origin · Standards | Supplier, Quantity, Unit Price, Soundness |
| domestic contract farming | Region, cultivation method, and expected harvest season | Farmhousehold, Area, Purchase Price |
| Fresh Flower Cooperation | Region · Expected Harvest | Actual production volume and working conditions |
| Fresh Stigma processing | General Product Information | Physical quantity and separation process |
| Dried Filament Sales | Origin · Harvest Year · General Grade | Lot · ISO/COA · Price |
| Purchase Dried Filament | Origin · Product Style · Usage | Target unit price and volume |
| Cut Filament | Standard specifications | Style ratio · Test results |
| Powder | Purity, particle size, and uses | Raw Material Lot, Authenticity Test, Unit Price |
| Extract | Raw materials/product forms | Solvent, Concentration, Process |
| Regular supply | General Standards and Periods | Actual monthly quantity and price |
| Hotels and Restaurants | Filament·Origin | Delivery time · Actual unit price |
| Confectionery and Bakery | Powder/Filament | Application Spec |
| drinkables | Powder/Extract | Mixing and Unit Price |
| HMR · Meal Kit | Standard raw materials | Recipe · MOQ |
| OEM·PB | Premium product concept | Formula · Cost · Contract |
| export | Product · Destination Country | Proof of HS, Price, and Origin |
| Technology demonstration | Cultivation, drying, and AI sorting | raw data |
| local specialties | Domestic saffron products | Producer, Process, Cost |
| Research cooperation | Corm · Cultivation · Authenticity · Quality | IP · Exam materials |
11. RFQ Request First
① Need Products & Materials
Companies and institutions seeking necessary products, agricultural products, raw materials, and processed goods register purchasing demands. Registered requests are utilized to review cooperation with potential suppliers and producers based on the RFQ Intelligence Library.
Process:
RFQ Registration → Supplier/Product Review → Collaboration Connection → Future AI Matching
Register
② We are looking for production and manufacturing partners. (Need Suppliers & Manufacturers)
Register a request to find necessary production and supply partners, ranging from farms and producer organizations to processing companies, OEM, ODM, and private label manufacturers.
Process:
RFQ Registration → Review of Production & Manufacturing Capabilities → Collaboration Connection → Future AI Partner Matching
Register
③ We are looking for domestic and international buyers. (Need Buyers)
Farmers, producer organizations, and manufacturing companies are requesting cooperation with new buyers, such as domestic and international distributors, importers, brand companies, and food service and catering businesses.
Process:
RFQ Registration → Product & Supply Capability Review → Market & Buyer Connection → Future AI Buyer Matching
Register
Contact : mail@markethub.org
Version History
Version | Main contents | situation |
| v1.0 | Registration of Plant Identity, Corm, Stigma, Filament, Product, RFQ Basic Structure and Latest Codex/ISO Standards | complete |
| v1.1 | Verification of official domestic and global production, market, and HS import/export raw data | expected |
| v2.0 | Segmentation of ISO Quality, Authenticity, and Processing PRP by Filament, Cut Filament, Powder, and Extract | expected |
| v3.0 | Producer/Corm Supplier – Drying/Processing Company – Import/Distribution – Food Buyer Verified Container Combination | expected |
