Short answer: Iranian saffron is graded by which part of the stigma is in the pack. Super Negin contains only the red part and is the top grade. Negin is almost the same but less even. Sargol is only the red tips, so the threads are shorter. Pushal is the red part with some of the yellow style. Dasteh (bunch) is the whole red-and-yellow thread. The more yellow there is, the less colour and aroma you get per gram, and the lower the price. All of these are real saffron.
Which part of the flower does saffron come from?
Each saffron flower has three red stigmas, joined to a yellow or white style. Almost all of saffron’s colour, aroma and taste is in the red part. The yellow style has very little colour or aroma. So a saffron grade tells you how much of the pack is red and how much is yellow.
Iranian saffron grades
| Grade | What it is | What it looks like | Colour and aroma per gram |
|---|---|---|---|
| Super Negin | The red part only, trimmed precisely | Long, thick, separate, evenly red threads | Highest |
| Negin | The red part, less even | Long threads, slightly less tidy | Very high |
| Sargol | Only the red tips of the stigma | Shorter threads, with more broken pieces | High |
| Pushal | The red part plus some yellow style | Red threads with yellow or orange ends | Medium |
| Dasteh (bunch) | The whole thread, red and yellow | Tied in bunches | Lower |
| Konj (white) | The style only | Yellow or white, no red | Very low; not worth buying for colour or aroma |
Grade descriptions are based on The Daily Meal.
How saffron is separated into grades
- Picking: saffron flowers are picked by hand in autumn, usually early in the morning before they open fully.
- Separating: the stigmas are pulled out of each flower by hand. Where the thread is cut decides the grade. Cutting off all the yellow gives the red-only grades (Super Negin, Negin, Sargol). Leaving a little yellow gives Pushal. Keeping the whole thread gives Dasteh.
- Drying: the threads are dried, which is when safranal, the compound behind saffron’s aroma, forms.
- Sorting: the dried threads are sorted by length, evenness and colour. The longest, most even red threads become Super Negin.
Because every step is done by hand and only the red part counts, the red-only grades take the most work per gram.
Pressed, naturally dried and last season’s Negin
In the Iranian market you will also see these names:
- Naturally dried Negin: dried naturally, without pressing.
- Pressed Negin: the threads are pressed flat to look tidier.
- Last season’s Negin: from the previous harvest. It has less aroma and costs less.
How much do the grades differ in price?
In the Iranian market on 2 November 2026, Super Negin cost about US$1,010–1,045 per kg and Pushal about US$920–935 per kg. In other words, Pushal was only about 10% cheaper. The full table and the cost of bringing saffron to Malaysia are in our saffron price guide.
An important point: because the price gap between grades is small in Iran, a “Super Negin” that is far cheaper than the market can’t be explained by a lower grade alone. It may be mixed or fake.
How to tell the grade by eye
- Look at the ends of the threads. Yellow or orange ends mean Pushal or Dasteh, not Super Negin.
- Thread length. Super Negin and Negin are long; Sargol is shorter and has crumbs.
- Evenness. Super Negin is tidy and even, with separate threads.
- The colour of the water. Higher grades turn water more golden with fewer threads.
Only a laboratory can measure colour and aroma strength precisely (ISO 3632). Read more in our guide on how to tell real saffron from fake.
Grade tricks to watch for
- A lower grade sold as Super Negin. Check for yellow or orange ends, which Super Negin should not have.
- Mixed grades. A few long red threads on top, with shorter, broken or yellow-ended threads underneath. Look at the whole pack, not just the top.
- Old crop sold as new. Last season’s saffron is real but weaker. Dull colour and little smell when you open the jar are warning signs.
- Coloured style. Yellow style that has been dyed red. If the water turns red straight away, the colour has probably been added.
A clear label with the grade, origin and net weight, and a seller who can show laboratory results, protect you from all of these.
Spanish and Kashmiri grades
Other countries use their own names. For example, the best-known grade of Kashmiri saffron is Mongra. Grade names differ from country to country, so to compare saffron fairly, look at how much of each thread is red and, if available, at the laboratory results.
Which grade is right for you?
| Use | Suggestion |
|---|---|
| Home cooking, rice, desserts | Super Negin or Negin: more colour and aroma from fewer threads |
| Saffron water and tea | Any red grade; Super Negin releases colour faster. See how to make saffron water. |
| Restaurants and caterers | Super Negin wholesale: it is stronger, so the cost per serving is lower |
| Learning the difference | A lower grade next to Super Negin, so you can compare |
What we sell: all Persian Signature packs, from 1g to 50g and wholesale, are Super Negin, laboratory tested above Grade 1 limits. We also sell a 1g bottle of Pushal saffron (standard grade). Try it next to our Super Negin and see the yellow ends and the difference in the water for yourself.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best grade of Iranian saffron?
Super Negin, because it contains only the red part and its threads are long and even.
What is the difference between Super Negin and Negin?
Both contain the red part; Super Negin is trimmed more precisely and is more even.
Is Pushal fake?
No. Pushal is real saffron with some yellow style. It just gives less colour and aroma per gram.
Why do some saffron threads have yellow ends?
That part is the style, a natural part of the flower. Lower grades contain more of it.
Is Sargol good?
Yes. It is red only and gives good colour; the threads are shorter and more broken.
What is “Konj” or “white” saffron?
It is only the yellow and white style. It has very little colour or aroma and shouldn’t be bought in place of red saffron.
Still deciding? See where to buy authentic Iranian saffron in Malaysia.