Separation of picrocrocin, cis-trans-crocins and safranal of saffron using high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode-array detection

High-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode-array detection was used to separate picrocrocin (bitter- tasting component, glucoside of safranal), cis/trans-crocins (carotenoids, glucosyl esters of crocetin) and safranal (flavour, monoterpene aldeyde) of saffron. All components of pure red Greek saffron were extracted from dried stigma with 50% methanol. These compounds were detected, separated collected and identified simultaneously using a Merck LiChroCART 125-4 Superspher 100 RP-18 (4 μm) column and as mobile phase a linear gradient from 20% to 100% acetonitrile in water in 20 min with a detection wavelength at 308 nm.