Short answer: The yellow or white part at the bottom of some saffron threads is the style, the stalk that holds the red stigma inside the flower. It is a natural part of the saffron plant, so it is not a sign of fake saffron. It does mean a lower grade: the yellow part has very little colour or aroma, so the more yellow there is, the less colour and aroma you get per gram. Top grades such as Super Negin and Negin contain only the red part.
Many people in Malaysia open a pack of saffron, see threads with yellow ends, and worry that they have been cheated. Usually they have not. In this guide we explain what the yellow part is, why some packs have it and others don’t, what it means for your cooking, and how to check your saffron at home.
What is the yellow part of a saffron thread?
Each saffron flower (Crocus sativus) has three red stigmas. At the bottom, the stigmas join a thin, pale stalk called the style. When the threads are pulled out of the flower by hand, some of this style often comes out with them.
On a single thread, the colour changes along its length: the base is yellow, it turns orange, and then deep red at the tip (The Daily Meal). Both the red and the yellow parts grow on the same flower. The difference is what they contain. Almost all of saffron’s colour, taste and aroma is in the red stigma. The yellow style has very little.
Is saffron with yellow parts fake?
No. A thread that is red at one end and yellow at the other is real saffron. It is simply a less trimmed grade. In the saffron trade, grading depends mainly on how much dark red stigma there is compared with yellow style, and more red means a higher grade (Wikipedia: Saffron).
What you should watch for is different: loose yellow bits that are not joined to any red thread. Wikipedia notes that one old way of adding weight to saffron was to mix in the flower’s yellow stamens, which have no taste or smell. So the question is not “is there yellow?” but “is the yellow part of a thread, or separate from it?”
Saffron grades and how much yellow each one has
Iranian saffron grades are named after where the thread is cut. Here is a simple summary (our full guide to saffron grades explains each one in detail):
| Grade | Yellow part? | What you see |
|---|---|---|
| Super Negin | None | Long, thick, evenly red threads |
| Negin | None | Long red threads, slightly less tidy |
| Sargol | None | Shorter red tips, some broken pieces |
| Pushal | Some | Red threads with yellow or orange ends |
| Dasteh (bunch) | Yes, the whole style | Full red-and-yellow threads, often tied in bunches |
| Konj (white) | Only yellow or white | No red at all; very little colour or aroma |
Other countries use their own names. In Kashmir, for example, “mongra” is the stigma alone and “lachha” is stigma with part of the style attached (Wikipedia).
What the yellow part means for your cooking
Saffron with some yellow will still colour and flavour your nasi minyak, biryani or kheer. But because part of the weight is yellow style, each gram gives you a little less. In practice:
- You may need a little more. If a recipe was written for red-only saffron, add a few more threads of a yellow-ended grade and judge by the colour of your saffron water.
- Compare price per gram with grade. A cheaper pack with lots of yellow is not always better value. Look at what you are paying for the red part. See our saffron price guide for Malaysia.
- Thread counts change too. Threads with the style attached are longer and heavier, so 1g of them contains fewer threads. Our article on how many threads are in 1 gram explains this.
For everyday cooking, the usual amount still works as a starting point: about 15–20 threads for 4–5 people, ground and bloomed in warm (not boiling) water or milk for 15–20 minutes. Our step-by-step guide to making saffron water shows how.
How to check your saffron at home
- Look closely. Spread a few threads on a white plate. Real threads are thin and flare out a little at the red end, like a small trumpet. Any yellow should be at the bottom of the same thread, not loose.
- Look for loose yellow bits. Separate yellow pieces that are not attached to red threads are a warning sign. They add weight but not colour.
- Do the cold-water check. Put a few threads in cold water. Real saffron slowly releases a golden-yellow colour and the threads stay red. If the water turns red straight away, colouring may have been added.
- Smell it. Good saffron has a strong, honey-like, slightly bitter smell. A pack with no smell at all is a concern, whatever the colour.
No home test can prove saffron is 100% genuine. For more checks, read our guide on how to tell fake from original saffron.
Why some sellers keep the yellow part
Removing the style is slow hand work. Each thread has to be cut where the red ends, and that extra labour is part of why red-only grades cost more. Keeping some style gives a cheaper product that is still real saffron. Neither choice is dishonest, as long as the grade is described clearly. Lab tests under the ISO 3632 standard also measure “floral waste”, meaning parts of the flower that are not stigma (Wikipedia). If you want to know more about how the threads are separated, see how saffron is harvested.
Common mistakes
- Calling all yellow-ended saffron fake. It is usually a lower grade, not a fake.
- Thinking “more yellow, more colour”. The golden colour in your food comes from the red part. The yellow part adds very little.
- Comparing prices without comparing grades. A red-only pack and a red-and-yellow pack are different products.
- Ignoring loose yellow pieces. Yellow that is not attached to a red thread deserves a closer look.
- Using too few threads of a lower grade. Adjust the amount by the colour of your saffron water, not just by counting.
Frequently asked questions
Can I cook with the yellow part of saffron?
Yes. It is part of the same thread and comes from the same flower. It just adds very little colour or aroma, so you don’t need to remove it.
Should I pick out the yellow ends before cooking?
There is no need. Grind the threads together and bloom them as usual. Picking them out takes time and changes little.
Why are some threads orange in the middle?
The colour changes gradually along the thread, from yellow at the base through orange to deep red at the tip. Orange sections are where the cut was made a little lower.
Which grade should I buy?
For strong colour with fewer threads, choose a red-only grade. For large amounts where price matters, a grade with some yellow can work if you use a little more. If you are not sure which grade a product is, ask us on WhatsApp before you buy, or browse our saffron shop.