You might think that saffron, with its distinct little threads, would be hard to fake. But where there is money to be made, people are always creative with some new scam! And given the price of saffron, it is wise to be careful.
Corn silk! Yep, the scoundrels will dye corn silk to look like saffron and mix it with some real saffron. Corn silk has no flavor, of course, so you are being ripped off. In the worst case there is no real saffron included, so in cooking you get no saffron taste at all!
A good way to avoid adulterated/fake saffron is to buy it from a reputable source. You can also test at home:
- Put a few threads in cold water. Genuine saffron will release a rich, golden hue gradually, without losing its vibrant red color. Fake saffron typically bleeds color rapidly and turns pale, indicating the use of artificial dyes.
- Mix a small amount of baking soda in water, then add the saffron threads. Genuine saffron will lead to a yellowish tinge due to the natural coloring agents interacting with baking soda. Fake ones may not cause any significant change or might even turn an unusual color.
You can learn more about saffron here.