Spanish researchers have developed a liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-(quadropole time of flight)-MS) method to check the authenticity and adulteration of saffron, one of the most expensive spices/natural colourants on the market. Glycosylated kaempferol derivatives were determined as authenticity markers for saffron, and detection of geniposide revealed saffron adulteration with gardenia. The limit of detection of gardenia in saffron using this method was 0.2%.
Read the abstract at: QC of Saffron by LC-MS
