Ga'an Yuba (Dried Tofu Sticks)

Ga'an Yuba

Ga'an Yuba is a protected geographical indication product.

　　Ga'an Yuba, a specialty of Ga'an City, Jiangxi Province, is a China National Geographic Indication product. With a long history of production in Ga'an County, the high-quality soybean raw materials and the unique water quality of the Jin River contribute to the superior quality and rich nutrition of Ga'an Yuba. It has won numerous national, provincial, and municipal product awards, and its sales span over 20 provinces and cities, and has entered the international market, with some products being exported to countries such as the United States and Kuwait.

　　　Ga'an Yuba is a soy product made from high-quality soybeans using traditional processing techniques. It is mainly produced in Ga'an City, Jiangxi Province, and is named after its place of origin. Ga'an Yuba has a long history of production and processing, and is considered a premium brand among yuba products. The product features a glossy, light yellow appearance, with uniform strands that are hollow inside. It has a pure taste, mildly sweet and fragrant, with no off-flavors, good toughness, and a satisfying chew. When soaked, it expands without becoming mushy. Among similar products, it stands out for not breaking down even after prolonged cooking. It is highly nutritious, with protein content as high as 50% and fat content reaching 30%. Ga'an Yuba has a distinctive flavor and is widely sold across more than 20 provinces and cities, earning great popularity among consumers. Ga'an Yuba from Ga'an City differs significantly from yuba produced in other regions in terms of sensory qualities, flavor, and physicochemical indicators. First, in terms of sensory qualities: Ga'an Yuba has a glossy, light yellow exterior (matching the color of soybeans), with uniform strands and a hollow interior. In contrast, yuba from other regions lacks this glossy sheen, often deviating in color from the natural hue of soybeans—some appearing too white or too dark—and the strands are unevenly formed. Second, in terms of flavor: Ga'an Yuba has a pure, mildly sweet, and fragrant taste, with a natural bean aroma that can be detected even without cooking. Yuba from other areas often lacks this characteristic or it is less pronounced. In a water-soaking test, Ga'an Yuba softens upon absorption while maintaining good toughness, and the soaking water remains clear without starch leakage or stickiness. In contrast, other types of yuba may release starch, deform, and cause the water to become cloudy. Further boiling tests show that Ga'an Yuba retains a strong bean fragrance, does not break down after prolonged cooking, and maintains its shape even when reheated. Other yuba varieties may have impure flavors, break down after prolonged cooking, or turn into a mushy consistency when reheated. Third, in terms of physicochemical indicators: Ga'an Yuba generally has 5–10% higher protein and fat content compared to other yuba, which clearly translates into greater nutritional value.

　　Production Conditions

　　Geographic Environment

　　　　Ga'an City is located in the central part of Jiangxi Province, in the lower reaches of the Jin River. It lies between 115°00′12″ to 115°34′56″ east longitude and 28°38′29″ north latitude. The city boasts beautiful landscapes and is known as an “agricultural hub.” Ga'an has a mid-subtropical monsoon climate, with distinct seasons, a frost-free period of up to 284 days, an average annual temperature of 17.7°C, an average temperature of 5.3°C in the coldest month, and an average annual precipitation of 1,560 mm. The Jin River, the largest river in the area, flows from west to east through the middle of the city, covering nearly 70 km and passing through 12 towns (and subdistricts), dividing the region into northern and southern sections. The terrain is higher in the north and lower in the south, with gently rolling plains in the middle, interspersed with low mountains, hills, and river valley plains. It is commonly described as “four parts mountain, one part water, three parts paddy fields, two parts roads and farmland.” These geographic and climatic factors provide favorable conditions for both soybean cultivation and yuba processing.

　　Raw Material Base

　　　　Ga'an City has a total of 1.01 million mu of arable land. Its unique geographic location and climatic conditions are suitable for the growth of various crops commonly planted in southern China. Local farmers in Ga'an have a long tradition of growing soybeans, which have been a staple food source since ancient times. The city has around 300,000 mu of dry land and high-elevation paddy fields suitable for soybean cultivation. According to the *Ga'an County Annals*, during the Republican era in the first half of the 20th century, the annual sowing and harvesting area for soybeans in Ga'an ranged between 30,000 and 50,000 mu. After the liberation, the highest historical sowing area reached 104,500 mu, with an average yield of 113 kg per mu and a total output of 11,800 tons. The main soybean varieties planted include local cultivars such as “June Burst,” “Short-Stem Grass,” “June White,” “Xiangchun No. 2,” “Zhechun No. 2,” “Gandou No. 3,” and “Short-Stem Spring.” Due to the neutral to slightly acidic, weakly acidic soil with deep layers and rich organic matter, along with abundant rainfall, the soybeans produced here have smooth skins, bright colors, and excellent quality. They serve as premium raw materials for processing yuba, tofu, fermented black beans, and other soy products. Yuba made from local soybeans generally has 3–5% higher protein and fat content compared to those made from soybeans sourced elsewhere.

　　Water Source Conditions

　　　　Ga'an City has well-developed water resources, with abundant surface water and groundwater. Surface runoff is distributed among four river basins: the Jin River, Xiao River, Liao River, and Yuan River, among which the Jin River is the largest. The city’s groundwater resources exceed 400 million cubic meters, and the water quality is good.

　　The groundwater of the Jin River is soft, making it very suitable for yuba production and processing. In the early 21st century, there were 18 yuba processing enterprises in Ga'an, all located along the Jin River. This is because water quality directly affects the protein content and yield of the final product. Soaking and grinding are crucial steps in yuba processing, and both require the use of “soft water.” First, during the soybean soaking process, the difference between using “soft water” and “hard water” is significant. Soft water yields a soy milk with 3.71% protein and a tofu yield of 45%, whereas hard water results in only 2.49% protein in the soy milk and a tofu yield of 26.5%. Second, during the grinding process, if the protein content is too low, there are fewer collisions between protein micelles, reducing the likelihood of polymerization and slowing down or preventing the formation of the thin film necessary for yuba. This either prevents yuba from forming or reduces its quality. Therefore, the hardness or softness of the water is a critical factor in yuba production. Some yuba producers in the city once attempted to “move production northward” by setting up factories in the Songnen Plain (a soybean-producing region), but ultimately failed due to unsuitable water resources.

　　Historical Origins

　　　　Legend has it that during the Tang Dynasty, a tofu craftsman traveled from Fuzhou, Jiangxi Province, to Lixiang Village in Bajing Town, Ga'an County, where he made a living by producing tofu. Through years of processing practice, he discovered a layer of oil skin that would form on top of soy milk. He used bamboo skewers to lift this skin—this was the earliest prototype of yuba. According to the *China Jiangxi Geographic Indication Products Guide*, “The ferry crossing opposite Gaoyou on the Jin River was one of the earliest production sites of Ga'an Yuba. Elder Wu Guozhen used a flat-bottomed pan to burn rice straw, adding fifteen jin of soybeans daily to produce ten jin of yuba…” It also records that “seven masters, including Ju Bingkun, established a small yuba workshop under the Pai Lou in Rui Zhou Prefecture.” Historical records in Ga'an indicate that yuba production began in 1919, with a notable shop at the time being Xinglong Yuba Workshop.

　　The protected geographical indication area for Ga'an Yuba products is defined according to the *Proposal on Clarifying the Scope of Application for National Geographic Indication Product Protection of Ga'an Yuba* (Gaofu [2005] No. 38) issued by Ga'an City, Jiangxi Province. This includes the administrative regions of 12 towns and subdistricts along the Jin River: Yunyang Subdistrict Office, Rui Zhou Subdistrict Office, Tiannan Town, Xiangcheng Town, Huibu Town, Yangwei Town, Longtan Town, Shinao Town, Xiangfu Town, Shanghu Town, Lanfang Town, and Dacheng Town.