Saffron

Known for being the world's most expensive spice by weight, will add vibrant colour and a touch of luxury to your dish. It comes from a flower known as the saffron crocus and is dried into threads which are then sold as a seasoning. It's commonly used in Spanish food but also across lots of different cuisines. Iran produces 90% of the world's saffron, it's a highly valued crop due to its status in world markets and labour-intensive harvesting methods. There have been imitation saffron threads and ground spices being sold since the middle ages. Seeing as it's so hard to produce but is also so expensive, many people have tried to sell on fakes in an attempt to make some quick money. Ground saffron has been diluted with turmeric and paprika and everything from silk threads to pomegranate fibers have been sold as saffron threads in the past. Detection methods have significantly improved since the middle ages so even though people still try to pass of alternatives your much less likely to come across a fake.