The differences in the taste profiles of real and fake saffron are pronounced. Fake saffron —which is often colored with red food coloring or other foreign substances — will either lack flavor entirely or have a bitter metallic taste. On the other hand, real saffron will have a strong floral scent and the will have a floral and earthy taste, the kind of flavor you’re looking for saffron to impart.

Saffron is the harvested stigma of the autumn crocus flower, also known as the saffron crocus. Each flower produces only three stigma at a time, meaning it takes between 50,000 and 75,000 flowers to produce just 1 pound of saffron spice. To put it another way, that pinch of saffron you’re throwing in your paella? Those twenty-ish stigma have come from seven different flowers.

For knowing real and fake saffron you must first know about the physical feature of this expensive spice. Freshly dried Saffron is glossy and greasy to touch, turning dull and brittle with age. It gets easily bleached if not stored in the dark and also stores better under conditions of low temperature and low relative humidity. The high price of this spice gives rise to frequent adulterations. Water is sometimes added in order to increase its weight. Oil or glycerin is also added for the same purpose or to improve the appearance. Sometimes the flowers of other plants are mixed with the genuine stigmas. High-quality saffron threads are typically fine and uniform in size. One end usually has a trumpet-like shape, while the other has a thin, tendril-like appearance. If you notice that the saffron is irregularly shaped, features shreds instead of strands, or contains bark, it’s probably inferior quality. If the threads have a frayed, almost worn appearance that can also be an indication that the saffron is of poor quality.