The documents, not the adjectives
Two pages on this site argue that a saffron claim is only worth something when a document sits behind it. These are the documents.
For how the saffron gets from harvest to this report, see the quality process.
A batch, measured against ISO 3632
This is a certificate of analysis for batch 1841, tested in the USMS Saffron Co. Inc. laboratory and completed on 30 July 2026. Your own tin carries a batch number — email it to orders@babysaffron.com and we will send you that batch’s report. This one is published so the shape of it can be seen before you buy anything.
The three numbers that matter are the last three. Colouring strength measures crocin and is the one most worth asking any seller for. ISO 3632 Category I begins at 200; this batch measured 230.430. Baby Saffron releases above the minimum rather than at it, which is a policy; the number beside it is the evidence for one batch, and the number for yours comes with your own batch’s report.
| Parameter | Result | Grade I limit | Test method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moisture & volatile matter content (mass fraction) % | 9.36 | Max. 12 | ISO 3632-2:2010(E) Section 7 |
| Total ash (mass) %, as dry matter | 6.38 | Max. 8 | ISO 928 (second edition 1997-12-15) |
| Acid-insoluble ash (mass fraction) %, as dry matter | 0.37 | Max. 1 | ISO 930 (second edition 1997-12-15) |
| Soluble extract in cold water (mass fraction) %, as dry matter | 56.32 | Max. 65 | ISO 941 (first edition 1980-02-15) |
| Flavour strength, as picrocrocin, A 1%/1cm at 257 nm, on dry matter | 88.488 | Min. 70 | ISO 3632-2:2010(E) Section 14 |
| Aroma strength, as safranal, A 1%/1cm at 330 nm, on dry matter | 34.045 | Min. 20, Max. 50 | ISO 3632-2:2010(E) Section 14 |
| Colouring strength, E 1%/1cm at 440 nm, on dry basis | 230.430 | Min. 200 | ISO 3632-2:2010(E) Section 14 |
Report 4755. Sample: 6 g of dark red coloured saffron filaments, received 29 July 2026, completed 30 July 2026. The grade bands are the ones printed on the certificate, which states that they follow FSSAI norms. The results refer only to the sample tested — which is the whole reason the number is printed per batch rather than quoted once for the brand. ISO 3632 is the standard behind the limits.
The facility, certified by Intertek
Both of these are issued to USMS Saffron Co. Inc. for the Neemrana works, and both can be validated directly with the issuer — email certificate.validation@intertek.com with the certificate number. They are worth publishing because the party vouching is not us.
ISO 9001:2015
- Certificate
- 0155101
- Issued by
- Intertek Certification Limited
- Accreditation
- UKAS accredited body, schedule of accreditation no. 0014
- Scope
- Processing, Packing & Supply of Saffron.
- First certified
- 14 August 2023
- Valid until
- 13 August 2029
What it does not cover: ISO 9001 is a quality management system standard. It certifies that the process is documented and audited — not the grade, colouring strength or purity of any batch of saffron. Those are measured separately, against ISO 3632.
HACCP (Codex CAC/RCP 1-1969, Rev. 4-2003) and GMP (Codex Alimentarius Annex CAC/RCP 1-1969, Rev. 4-2003)
- Certificate
- 0155825
- Issued by
- Intertek India Private Limited
- Scope
- Receipt of Saffron, Sieving, Sorting, Drying, Packaging and Dispatch of Saffron.
- First certified
- 1 September 2023
- Valid until
- 31 August 2027
What it does not cover: GMP and HACCP cover food hygiene and manufacturing practice at the facility — how saffron is received, handled and packed. They are not a measurement of the saffron itself.
And the licence underneath all of it
Certificates are voluntary. An FSSAI licence is not: every food business selling in India must hold one. Baby Saffron is packed by USMS Saffron Co. Inc. under FSSAI Central Licence 12217010000080, which anyone can look up at foscos.fssai.gov.in to see the licensee, the premises and the expiry date.
If you would rather check the saffron than the paperwork, the five home tests need nothing but a glass of water, and the six checks apply to any brand, including this one.
Common questions
Is Baby Saffron's saffron independently certified?+
The Neemrana facility holds two certificates issued by Intertek: ISO 9001:2015 (certificate 0155101, valid to 13 August 2029) and GMP/HACCP to Codex CAC/RCP 1-1969 Rev. 4-2003 (certificate 0155825, valid to 31 August 2027). Both are issued to USMS Saffron Co. Inc. and both can be validated directly with Intertek at certificate.validation@intertek.com. They certify the facility and its processes. The grade of any given batch is measured separately, against ISO 3632.
What was the colouring strength of a real Baby Saffron batch?+
Batch 1841, tested on 30 July 2026, measured a colouring strength of 230.430 (E 1%/1cm at 440 nm, on dry basis) against an ISO 3632 Grade I minimum of 200. The same batch measured picrocrocin (flavour) at 88.488 against a Grade I minimum of 70, and safranal (aroma) at 34.045 against a Grade I range of 20 to 50. The full certificate of analysis is published at babysaffron.com/certifications.
What does ISO 9001 certification mean for saffron?+
Less than it is often made to sound. ISO 9001 is a quality management system standard: it certifies that a company runs a documented, audited process, and it is awarded to manufacturers in every industry. It says nothing about the grade, colouring strength or purity of any batch of saffron. The standard that measures saffron itself is ISO 3632, and the document that reports it is a certificate of analysis for a specific lot.
How can I check Baby Saffron's certificates myself?+
Three independent routes, none of which require taking our word for it. The two Intertek certificates can be validated by emailing certificate.validation@intertek.com with the certificate number, 0155101 or 0155825. The FSSAI Central Licence 12217010000080 can be looked up by anyone at foscos.fssai.gov.in, which returns the licensee, the premises and the expiry date. And every tin carries a batch number: email it to orders@babysaffron.com and we will send you the certificate of analysis for that batch.
Tested to this standard, every lot
The certificate above is one batch. Every pack below went through the same tests.
BestsellerEveryday premium saffron for milk, sweets, and rituals.
ISO Grade 1 · 200+ colour
Sold as a set of 4 single-use 250mg blisters of pure kesar.
ISO Grade 1 · 200+ colour
