Comparative Analysis of the Major Metabolites of Ukrainian Saffron Samples by HPLC

Crocus sativus L. is one of the most valuable crops, which stigmas are used as the food supplement and herbal medicine. In Ukraine, the cultivation of C. sativus began in 2015, and in this regard, it became possible to conduct a comparative content analysis of the major metabolites (crocin, picrocrocin, safranal) using the validated HPLC method in the stigmas from the different country regions. The grinding technique of Crocus stigmas in liquid nitrogen was used for the first time, which influenced an increase in the yield of trans-crocetin bis(β-D-gentiobiosyl) ester in 3.5 times compared with a normal grinding. Samples from the northeastern regions of cultivation such as Zaporizhia and Chernigiv had the higher amount of crocin (205 and 226 mg/g, respectively), while in the samples of the southwestern region the decrease of the amount of crocin was observed (180 mg/g and less), which was due to the climatic features of the country. These results can be utilized in the pharmaceutical and food industries for creating food additives for human nutrition.