--- Sichuan AOQATS Strengthens Supervision on the Quality of Sichuan Pickles
Dongpo pickles of Meishan, Xinfan pickles, Nanchong preserved vegetables, Zizhong vegetable shoots, Xufu vegetable sprouts of Yibin . In Sichuan, almost all households make, eat and love pickles, which, among various delicious and dainty dishes, have been integrated into the popular food culture. At present, there have been nearly a thousand varieties of vegetables in Sichuan, which provide rich raw materials for making pickles.
The warm and humid climate is also good for the fermentation of lactobacillus of pickles, thus forms the special favor of Sichuan pickles as well as their excellent qualities in freshness, tastiness, tenderness and crispness.
In the Provincial Symposium on Developing Pickles and Land Vegetables held recently, main focus was given to questions like how to further strengthen the supervision on the quality of pickles, to research and develop new products as well as to promote the brands of pickles. A director of the quality supervision department indicated that more emphasis will be made to guarantee the quality of Sichuan pickles, and a quality supervision system that covers the whole process from production to marketing will be established through cooperating with industry and trade departments and strengthening supervision.
Meanwhile, consumers will be organized to vote on internet about pickle specialties selected by experts. Common people will be invited to taste pickle specialties and vote out the types that can meet the public needs, in this way to promote high-quality and symbolic products that can actually represent Sichuan pickles.
To enhance supervision and improve the quality of Sichuan pickles
Rapid development has happened to the vegetable and pickles industry of Sichuan over recent years. In the four months from January to April this year, the total production of Sichuan pickles was 2800,000 tons, a year-on-year rise of 10%; the gross output value was 2.4 billion RMB, over 10% higher than last year of the same period.
The supply of pickles has been unable to meet the demand. On April 16, through the examination and appraisal of the Professional Evaluation Committee of the Ministry of Agriculture, Sichuan pickles officially got the protection by National Agricultural Product of Geographical Indication, covering 21 municipalities (prefectures) and 144 counties (districts) under the jurisdiction of Sichuan Province, including altitudes ranging from 2020 meters to 2000 meters, with a total area of 2000 acres and a yearly production of 6 million tons.
The great rise in production and output value of Sichuan pickles is inseparable from the improvement of their quality. The Provincial Administration of Quality and Technology Supervision (AOQATS) has always paid high attention to the quality of Sichuan pickles, made rational and scientific production standards, strictly insisted on the control of the products quality and the development of pickles bases, and done a good job in the R&D of new technologies.
The quality supervision department has intensified their selective examination of pickles, made immediate rectification and improvements to enterprises that have certain problems, and enhanced their management of products quality. At the same time, they have also carried out risk monitoring to pickles, and stiffened test and inspection in links that could influence the quality of pickles, including edible oil, food additives, et al.
When sticking to their management in the quality of pickles, the quality supervision department also actively cooperates with relevant departments that are in charge in building demonstrative enterprises of pickles, helping enterprises to train staff in quality and safety management as well as product quality inspection, in order to promote the industrialization and modernization of Sichuan pickles.
To standardize production and vigorously develop Sichuan pickles industry
According to an insider, at present, Sichuan pickles have taken up over half of the domestic market, and it s undoubtedly crucial to develop new internet market so as to fulfill the goal of doubling the present output value in future three years. As for the internationalization of Sichuan pickles, Prof.
Pu Biao of the College of Food Science of Sichuan Agricultural University believes that it s important to perfect the quality standards system. Prof. Luo Yunbo of China Agricultural University also insists that only through standardization, can it be possible for pickles industry to develop into a giant industry.
A direct of the Provincial Department of Commerce says that after recognizing the broad prospect of pickles, Koreans start to make efforts in developing production lines and practice scaled and standardized production. In 1995, South Korea officially submitted the codex of pickles specification to the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which was finally adopted as the international food specification of pickles in July of 2001 and thus provided convenience for foreign trade.
It is an unshirkable duty for quality supervision departments to make admittance standards and further regulate the production and processing of pickles. The Provincial Administration of Quality and Technology, together with Sichuan Institute of Standardization, the Provincial Food Industry Association and other scientific research institutions, has made local standards for Sichuan pickles so as to guide production safety with general technological standards.
Presently, the local standards of Sichuan pickles have been completed and published. At the same time, Regulation for the Production of Sichuan Pickles has been officially carried out. The Regulation stipulates various aspects about the production of Sichuan pickles, including major raw materials, environment of factories, workshops, hygiene facilities, equipment and tools, sanitation, disposal of wastes, process flow, marks, labels, transportation and storage, et al.
The local standards of Sichuan pickles made by various institutes have scientifically and generally regulated the scope, classification, requisitions, test methods, inspection rules, labels, marks, package, transportation and storage of Sichuan pickles, which will guide the enterprises safe production with a general set of standards.
To develop famous brands and expand the market of Sichuan pickles
In spite of the great development of Sichuan pickles in production and output value, compared with Korean pickles, the pickles industry of Chongqing, Zhejiang and Jiangsu, etc still has a long way to go. The long way is not in quality, but in brands, says the director of Sichuan Agriculture Department.
After over a decade s development, many national brands of Sichuan pickles have emerged, like Xinfan pickles, Liji pickles, Jixiangju pickles, Vegetable pickles, Guangle pickles, vegetable sprouts of Yibin, and Yanshan preserved vegetables, etc. The emergence of these brands is inseparable from the quality supervision departments that provide a one-package service for pickles enterprises, covering production licenses, brand building, system certification and standards.
Recently, quality supervision departments are trying to establish Sichuan pickles as Chinese Famous Brand Product, National Product of Geographical Indication, and National Agricultural Standardization Demonstration Project, as well as to support the Four National Projects of Meishan in building the national quality inspection center of pickles.
Now, the examination and appraisal of Meishan Dongpo Pickles as a National Product of Geographical Indication has been finished.
According to a director of the quality supervision department, next step, they will cooperate with relevant departments to build the brand and cultural image of Sichuan pickles, and create a sound mechanism for Sichuan pickles where production is regulated by standards, product quality is guaranteed by marks, sales are promoted by brands, thus improve the competitiveness of Sichuan pickles on the market.
At the same time, they will spare no effort in building local brands, perfecting and implementing the development plan of Sichuan pickles industry, and advancing the integrated development of pickles industry.
Click Sichuan pickles industry
Industrial development goals
According to the Development Plan of Sichuan Pickles Industry, in the coming three years, efforts will be made to develop Sichuan pickles industry as an advantageous and special industry which is No. 1 in China and well-known in the world, to build Sichuan pickles as a domestic first-class and internationally known brand, and to build Sichuan as a leading province in pickles.
Till 2012, 10 to 15 new varieties of pickles will be introduced or bred; 2 million mu of standardized raw material production base will be built; the total production of pickles will reach 2 million tons, with an output value of over 1.5 billion RMB, which can raise the income of farmers in the base by over 1 billion RMB, and the yearly volume of foreign exchange earned by export will be 25 million dollars.
; 16 pickles processing enterprises with an output value of over 100 million RMB will be set up, among which 6 will have an output value of 300 million RMB to 500 million RMB, 5 will have a yearly volume of foreign exchange earned by export of more than 5 million RMB, and 3 will be national leading enterprises; there will be 6 Chinese famous trademarks, 4 China top brands, 8 Sichuan famous trademarks and 5 Sichuan top brands; 80% of enterprises that are worth 10 million RMB will get certifications of HACCP, ISO9001 and ISO9002; there will be 1national technology and engineering center of pickles processing, and 5 provincial technology center; 8 to 10 sets of standardization technology regulations of pickles will be made and perfected.
Development of industrial parks
Based on the requisition to build industrial parks, some pickles processing parks with significant advantages and eminent characteristics will be built in major places of production, through fundamental construction in accordance with three availables and one accessible (Electricity, water supply and paved roads are available, and one can have accessibility to leveled ground) and extended investment invitation.
There will mainly be 3 provincial pickles industrial parks, including the industrial park of seasoned pickles in Dongpo District of Meishan, the industrial park of weltered pickles in Xindu District of Chengdu, the industrial park of pickled beans in Pixian County; 3 municipal pickle industrial parks, including the industrial park of pickled beans in Zizhong, the industrial park of vegetable shoots in Cuiping District of Yibin, the industrial park of preserved vegetables in Gaoping District of Nanchong; county-level pickle industrial parks include those intensively built within the industrial parks in the advantageous and characteristic counties (districts) of pickle processing.
The pickles industry will be shifted from the extensive pattern to an intensive pattern.
Development of special raw materials bases
1. To focus on the fundamental development of vegetable fields, and build bases around leading processing enterprises among which the bases of raw vegetable materials should match the processing capability.
2. To practice standardized production and achieve safety in using input products, normalization in production process and excellence in products quality.
3. To emphasize the certifying of bases, display the effects of brands, and guide the bases in various places to strive for three products and one indication (pollution-free products, green food products, organic agricultural products and one agricultural product of geographical indication), promote standardization through brandization, and improve the products quality and safety.
Development of the R&D system
1. Establishment of variety selection and breeding centers. To establish special pickle variety selection and breeding centers, and enhance the breeding and introduction of special varieties for making pickles.
2. Establishment of R&D centers for pickle products. Based on different needs of domestic and foreign customers, focus should be given to the R&D of new special pickle products that have great market share and broad prospect.
3. Establishment of the function and nutrition research centers. Researches should be done about the nutrition and health functions of Sichuan pickles, so as to guide the improvement of production technology.
4. Establishment of R&D centers of processing technology. A R&D center of pickle processing technology will be built in Dongpo District of Meishan, with an aim to regulate the existing processing technology, enhance the R&D of new technology, and introduce advanced processing technology and equipment from home and abroad. 5 promotion centers of pickle processing technology will be built to undertake tests of new technology and new varieties, as well as to demonstrate and promote relevant training.
5. Development of quality standardization system. Series of standards of Sichuan pickles will be made and promoted through the whole province. Quality inspection centers and product traceability system will be established to guarantee the quality and safety of pickles.
Development of production and marketing system
1. To vigorously develop leading enterprises. To encourage horizontal integration of enterprises, integrate industrial resources through various ways like amalgamation, merger and purchasing, and improve the industrial production intensity.
2. To cultivate famous brands. To lead the enterprises and enhance their consciousness in brands, and encourage them to create famous brands.
3. To expand cooperation and communication. With focus on Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asia, more attention should be focused on tackling technological difficulties, and the clustering and leading role of food industrial parks in investment invitation should be fully displayed.
4. To smooth the marketing channels. Special sales area for pickles in food wholesale markets on multi-levels should be expanded or newly set up; modern ways of circulation like internet shopping, direct distribution and chain operation should be developed; and the circulation channels of raw materials and pickle products will be smoothed and linked up.
