Producing iranian saffron (crocus sativus l.) nano-emulsion using epi method for increasing the shelf life on food industry.

Saffron is a spice obtained from the stigmas and dried creams (Crocus Sativus L) of Crocus Sativus plant and one of the important applications of this red spice is in the food industry (transfering flavor and aroma color to food and drink) as well as use in cooking and pharmacy (due to its safety properties). The history of saffron plant production and breeding dates back to 2500 years ago.
The technique used in this project is a probe ultrasonic homogenizer and has a high efficiency in the production of Iranian saffron nanoemulsion (Crocus sativus) to reduce droplet size in a small amount. Advantages of using ultrasonic method compared to other mechanical methods in producing nanoemulsion include less energy consumption, less emulsifier use and also more uniform emulsion with smaller droplet size. This product is the first to be produced and the important point in this methodology is avoiding to use any chemicals or abnormal preservatives. In this method, after preparing a solution of saffron and span 80 extract, it is added dropwise to the solution containing N-Dekan and Tween 80, then the nanoemulsion is prepared using an ultrasonic homogenizer with a probe. Production of Iranian saffron nanoemulsion (Crocus sativus) using ultrasonic probe homogenizer technique increases the production efficiency of saffron.