Dr. Seyed Mahdi Ziaratnia, the member of scientific board of National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute (NNFTRI) highlighted the importance of saffron and related chemical components in medicine in terms of natural healing effects. “Crocin is a natural carotenoid responsible for the color of saffron, which has many medicinal properties; currently, the crocin is extracted from saffron in the Institute in laboratory level through cell culture,” he added.
“The method rules out the farm operations to grow saffron, then also ruling out the constraints of environmental conditions, and costs of traditional farming including costs of human labor,” said Ziaratnia, and that “cell culture to produce crocin is economically justified.”
He also said that saffron was the most expensive flavoring plant around the world. “Its derivatives have wide applications in nutrition, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and health industries, making it possible to generate added value,” he asserted. “The extracts of saffron are effective in treatment of cancer and cardiovascular diseases thanks to effective chemicals,” Ziaratnia added, believing that the cell culture would contribute significantly to the volume produced.
“The research project was conducted to produce crocin from saffron in high amounts and lower costs to use in pharmaceuticals and related industries,” Ziaratnia said, describing the plant as ‘having magic properties which could provide the industry with effective components needed.”
SH
MNA
END
Your Comment