Press & Lab Report — Raihan Saffron | ISO 3632 Category I Afghan Saffron
Press & Lab Report
The saffron brand that publishes its lab numbers.
Almost no small saffron seller will show you an independent laboratory certificate. We do. Every harvest Raihan imports is graded against ISO 3632 — the international standard for saffron quality — and the most recent Category I certificate is published in full below, alongside a press kit for journalists and editors.
296.5
Crocin — Color
Category I minimum: 200
114.2
Picrocrocin — Taste
Category I minimum: 70
32.7
Safranal — Aroma
Category I range: 20–50
None
Artificial Colorants
Result: Absent
Measured values from Raihan's most recent Certificate of Analysis. Crocin, picrocrocin, and safranal are reported as E¹₅₃₃ (specific absorbance), the ISO 3632 method.
What the certificate proves
Category I is the top tier. Ours clears it with room to spare.
ISO 3632 grades saffron into three categories by measuring three compounds in a laboratory. Category I is the highest.
Crocin is what gives saffron its deep gold color when it blooms. The ISO 3632 Category I minimum is a coloring strength of 200; our lot measured 296.5 — nearly 50% above the threshold. Color strength is the single best predictor of how far a gram of saffron will go in your cooking.
Picrocrocin is responsible for saffron's distinctive taste. Category I requires a minimum of 70; ours measured 114.2.
Safranal carries the aroma — the honeyed, hay-like scent that fills a kitchen the moment a fresh bottle is opened. The Category I range is 20–50; ours sits at 32.7, squarely in the premium band (very high safranal can actually indicate over-drying).
The certificate also confirms no artificial colorants were detected — the test that separates genuine saffron from product cut with dye, safflower, or turmeric. The certificate was issued by the Herat Directorate of Agriculture Saffron Quality Control Laboratory in western Afghanistan, the region our threads are grown and hand-harvested.
For journalists & editors
Press kit & fast facts.
Everything you need to write about Raihan Saffron accurately. For interviews, high-resolution imagery, product samples, or the raw lab certificate, contact us using the details below — we respond same business day.
| Company | Raihan Saffron — a family-run Afghan saffron house |
| Founded | Est. 1996 (family saffron trade); U.S. direct-to-consumer since 2026 |
| Headquarters | 24 Bassett St, Lynn, Massachusetts 01902, USA |
| Product | All-red Super Negin saffron threads — whole stigma tips, never powder, never blended |
| Origin | Hand-harvested in the Herat valley, western Afghanistan; hand-packed in Lynn, MA |
| Quality grade | ISO 3632 Category I — Crocin 296.5, Picrocrocin 114.2, Safranal 32.7, artificial colorants absent |
| Range | Six single-lot bottle sizes, 1 g–10 g, plus a gift box and starter kit ($20–$125) |
| What makes it notable | Publishes an independent ISO 3632 lab certificate; single-lot traceability with harvest year stamped on every bottle; no powder, no dye, no blending |
| Availability | United States only (direct at raihansaffron.com); free U.S. shipping over $49 |
| Press contact | raihansaffronco@gmail.com · (857) 313-9458 |
Hi-resolution media
Download images & the certificate.
Free for editorial use with credit to Raihan Saffron. Click any image for the full-resolution file. Need a format or crop you don't see here? Email us and we'll send it.
Please credit "Raihan Saffron" and, where possible, link to raihansaffron.com. Images may be used in editorial coverage; not for resale or third-party product listings.
Copy-and-paste boilerplate
About Raihan Saffron
Approved standard description — free to quote
Raihan Saffron is a family-run Afghan saffron house that imports all-red Super Negin threads directly from growers in the Herat valley of western Afghanistan and hand-packs each single-lot bottle in Lynn, Massachusetts. Every harvest is graded against ISO 3632, the international laboratory standard for saffron, and Raihan publishes its Category I certificate of analysis in full — a level of transparency almost unheard of among small saffron sellers.
The company sells threads only — never powder, which is the grade most easily adulterated — and never blends harvests, stamping the harvest year on the bottom of every bottle. Raihan ships to customers across the United States from its facility at 24 Bassett St, Lynn, MA.
Media email
raihansaffronco@gmail.com
Interview requests, samples, hi-res images, and the raw lab certificate. Same-business-day reply. Email us →
Phone
(857) 313-9458
Mon–Fri, 9 AM–6 PM ET. A real Lynn-based human, never a phone tree. Call now →
Studio
24 Bassett St, Lynn, MA 01902
Press visits and photography by appointment. Please call ahead.
Taste the certificate for yourself
Try the most-loved 2 g bottle for $35.
About 500 long, all-red threads — a month of regular saffron cooking, from the same Category I harvest measured above. 30-day potency guarantee on every order.
Shop the 2 g bottle →
