The Effects of Different Storage Temperatures on Chemical Substance Changes in Saffron Stigmas Analyzed by LC-MS and GC-TOF-MS.
- 1Forest and Pomology Research Institute, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 201106, China.
- 2Department of Pharmacy, Jiangxi Medical College, Shangrao 334000, China.
- 3Shanghai Agricultural Science and Technology Service Center, Shanghai 200335, China.
Abstract
This study evaluated the effects of three storage temperatures (4 °C, -20 °C, -80 °C) on metabolites in saffron stigmas after one year of storage using non-targeted metabolomics based on LC-MS and GC-TOF-MS. Lower storage temperatures better preserved chemical activity, and different metabolites markedly included capsiate, sarmentine, sesamolinol, nobiletin, prostaglandin F1α, vanillin, and α-ketoglutaric acid. Amino acid-centered pathways, including alanine, aspartate, glutamate, and phenylalanine metabolism, constitute core temperature-responsive modules. Aspartic acid and alpha-ketoisovaleric acid exhibited strong correlations with key quality indicators crocin and picrocrocin. The -80 °C treatment significantly yielded the highest retention of crocin and picrocrocin, with their contents being 21.46% and 31.25% higher, respectively, than at 4 °C. -80 °C is recommended for long-term storage, whereas -20 °C is suitable for household use. This study provides a theoretical foundation and practical guidance for saffron preservation for producers and consumers.
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BibTeX
@article{zhou2026effects,
title = {{The Effects of Different Storage Temperatures on Chemical Substance Changes in Saffron Stigmas Analyzed by LC-MS and GC-TOF-MS.}},
author = {Lin Zhou and Jiao Zhu and Xin Li and Linmei Shao and Zijin Xu and Luting Xing and Liuyan Yang and Yongchun Zhang},
journal = {Foods (Basel, Switzerland)},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/foods15203758},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42940395},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - The Effects of Different Storage Temperatures on Chemical Substance Changes in Saffron Stigmas Analyzed by LC-MS and GC-TOF-MS.
AU - Lin Zhou
AU - Jiao Zhu
AU - Xin Li
AU - Linmei Shao
AU - Zijin Xu
AU - Luting Xing
AU - Liuyan Yang
AU - Yongchun Zhang
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/21
JO - Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
DO - 10.3390/foods15203758
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42940395
AB - This study evaluated the effects of three storage temperatures (4 °C, -20 °C, -80 °C) on metabolites in saffron stigmas after one year of storage using non-targeted metabolomics based on LC-MS and GC-TOF-MS. Lower storage temperatures better preserved chemical activity, and different metabolites markedly included capsiate, sarmentine, sesamolinol, nobiletin, prostaglandin F1α, vanillin, and α-ketoglutaric acid. Amino acid-centered pathways, including alanine, aspartate, glutamate, and phenylalanine metabolism, constitute core temperature-responsive modules. Aspartic acid and alpha-ketoisovaleric acid exhibited strong correlations with key quality indicators crocin and picrocrocin. The -80 °C treatment significantly yielded the highest retention of crocin and picrocrocin, with their contents being 21.46% and 31.25% higher, respectively, than at 4 °C. -80 °C is recommended for long-term storage, whereas -20 °C is suitable for household use. This study provides a theoretical foundation and practical guidance for saffron preservation for producers and consumers.
SN - 2304-8158
ER -