Crocin

What is Crocin?

Crocin is a carotenoid chemical compound that is found in the flowers Crocus Sativus (scientific name of Saffron) and Gardenia Jasminoides. Crocin is chemical compound primarily responsible for the color of Saffron.

Crocin

Chemically, Crocin is the diester formed from the disaccharide gentiobiose and the Dicarboxylic Acid Crocetin. When isolated as a pure chemical compound, it has a deep violet color and forms crystals with a melting point of 186 °C. When dissolved in water, it forms an orange solution.

Some advantages of Crocin over Saffron:

Pure extract (up to 98%)
Over 18 months shelf life
Low volume, easy forwarding
Better solubility, consistent quality
Easy storage condition (room temperature)
No additives, almost 0% toxic substances
Almost 30 times richer than Saffron herb color
Antibacterial properties due to the absence of cellulosic tissue

Crocin pharmaceutical usages

Herbal plants have used for folk medicine since immemorial times. Hippocrates who is the father of medicine, refer to 400 medicinal plants and advised ‘‘let food be your medicine and let medicine be your food’’

Crocin food industries usages

It shows good overall performance as a food colorant because it is stable toward light, oxidation, microbiological attack, and changes in PH. Its coloring power is attributed primarily to Crocins.

Crocin cosmetics usages

The tincture of saffron used to remove pimples and soothe rashes in Persian traditional medicine mostly by Avicenna (1981) worldly physician who lived a thousand year ago (980-1037).