The picrocrocine is a Hétéroside has glycoside formed of Glucose and Safranal. One finds it in the saffron, a spice extracted from a flower of Crocus. The picrocrocine has a bitter taste and is the person in charge of the taste characteristic of the saffron.

It is thought that the picrocrocine is a breakdown product of a Caroténoïde, the Zéaxanthine.