Yongtai Furong Plum Preserves

Yongtai Furong Plum Preserves

Yongtai Furong Plum Preserves are a protected geographical indication product.

Yongtai Furong Plum Preserves are a certified geographical indication trademark.

　　Yongtai Furong Plum Preserves, a specialty of Yongtai and one of Fujian’s famous products, are made from ripe Furong plums using traditional craftsmanship. Fu’an City in Fujian is the hometown of Furong plums, boasting the largest cultivation area and yield in China, with a history of over a thousand years. The Furong plum is a type of plum, alongside others such as Rouge Plum and Nai Plum. The processing and sale of plum preserves and candied fruits have become a top priority in Yongtai’s agricultural industrialization.

　　　The Furong plum has pale green skin, deep red flesh, and a pleasant sweet-and-sour taste, making it a high-quality fruit. With an average weight of 50 grams per fruit, it ripens in July and can be eaten fresh or processed into various types of candied fruits. Fu’an Furong plums are known for their large size, thick flesh, small pits, and balanced sweet-and-sour flavor without sticking to the pit. They are not only great for fresh consumption but also serve as premium raw material for processed candied fruits for export. Yongtai Furong Plum Preserves feature a rich color and sweet, delicious taste. The candied fruit series made from high-quality Fu’an plums offers a unique flavor with the original fruit’s freshness, making them a popular urban snack. These products enjoy a longstanding reputation both domestically and across Southeast Asia, winning the favor of customers at home and abroad.

　　Processing Technology

　　Processing Procedures

　　　　Yongtai Furong Plum Preserves are high-quality products meticulously processed through steps including “fruit selection, shaking, sun-drying, pickling, and baking.”

　　1. Fruit Selection: Select Furong plums at 8–9 maturity grown within the protected area, removing any diseased, pest-infested, or rotten fruits, as well as impurities such as leaves and stems. The fruits are sorted into three grades for processing: Grade 1 (single fruit weight 38g), Grade 2 (single fruit weight 33g–38g), and Grade 3 (single fruit weight ≤33g).

　　2. Shaking: Add 80g of plant ash per 100kg of fresh Yongtai Furong plums, then shake manually or mechanically until the fruit surface shows even scratches and the skin becomes slightly soft.

　　3. Washing: Rinse the fruit with drinking water to remove juice and other impurities.

　　4. Sun-Drying: The drying process is done in three stages. The first stage dries the fruit until the volume shrinks and the color turns reddish-brown, then it is collected for the first pickling. The second stage dries until wrinkles are obvious and the color turns brownish, then it is collected for the second pickling. The third stage dries until fine, even wrinkles form, the skin turns dark brown, and the moisture content reaches 28%–33%, after which it is stored. If rain occurs during processing or sunlight is insufficient, baking may be used instead of sun-drying.

　　5. Pickling: Place the dried fruit pulp into containers and pickle with fine salt. The first pickling uses 0.8kg of salt (per 100kg of fresh fruit), and the second pickling uses 0.5kg of salt (per 100kg of fresh fruit).

　　Quality Requirements

　　　　1. Sensory Characteristics:

　　(1) Color: Brownish or dark brown with a glossy appearance.

　　(2) Shape: Tender flesh with a full texture.

　　(3) Texture: Whole fruit with intact grains, featuring fine, even, and dry surface wrinkles.

　　(4) Flavor: Pleasantly sweet and sour, no gritty feeling, retaining the original fruit flavor with no off-odors.

　　(5) Impurities: No visible foreign matter to the naked eye.

　　2. Physicochemical Indicators: Moisture content 28%–34%, total sugar (as reducing sugar) 20%–30%, total acid (as citric acid) 1.0%–3.0%, salt (as NaCl) 3.0%–7.0%.

　　3. Safety Requirements: Product safety indicators must comply with relevant national regulations for similar products.

　　Product Honors

　　　　In 1985, Yongtai Plum Preserves were awarded the National Ministry of Foreign Trade Quality Prize. As a major plum-producing area in Fujian, Yongtai produces over 20,000 tons of plums annually, with the saying “where there is a village, there are plums; without plums, it’s not a village.” Premium products made from plums, such as “Yellow Plum,” “Juice Jiayingzi,” and “Pitted Jiayingzi,” are well-known and sell well in over 20 countries and regions across Southeast Asia.

　　In 2000, Yongtai Furong Plum Preserves were honored as a Famous Brand Agricultural Product of Fujian Province. Product quality standards (Fujian Provincial Local Standard DB/372～373—1999) were established, and a comprehensive product testing system was put in place.

　　The candied fruit series made from high-quality plum preserves are well-known across China and Southeast Asia. Various plum preserves and candied fruit products have won provincial and municipal quality product awards.

　　 The protected geographical indication area for Yongtai Plum Preserves is defined according to the scope proposed in the “Letter Requesting the Definition of the Protected Geographical Indication Product Origin Area of ‘Yongtai Plum Preserves’” (Zhang Zheng [2007] No. 81) issued by the People’s Government of Yongtai County, Fujian Province. This area covers the current administrative region of Yongtai County, Fujian Province.