Hongmen Chicken Eggs

Hongmen Chicken Eggs

Hongmen Chicken Eggs are a geographical indication agricultural product.

　　Hongmen Chicken Eggs are a specialty of Nancheng County, Fuzhou City, Jiangxi Province.

　　Category: Meat Product Name: Hongmen Chicken Eggs Registration Certificate Number: AGI01295 Ministry of Agriculture Announcement No./Date: No. 2046 (December 30, 2013) Brief Introduction to Cultural History According to the "Nancheng County Annals," Hongmen Chicken Eggs originated in the Song Dynasty, flourished in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, and reached their peak during the revolutionary war period. The earliest form of Hong eggs was created for festive occasions among common folk, who dyed eggshells red for good luck (hence Hong eggs are also called Red Eggs). To this day, people in Nancheng still maintain the custom of eating Hong eggs (Red Eggs) during birthdays and wedding banquets. Hong eggs became well known across southern regions such as Fujian, Jiangxi, and Guangdong, giving rise to sayings like "Rice fills the granaries within Jianchang Prefecture, while the Peng family estate overflows with the aroma of eggs" and "A pair of red eggs binds kinship, as hands are held to pray again to Guanyin." There’s also the folk verse: "A single flower picked atop the high mountain, its fragrance drifts to the flower tower below; the maiden’s glance speaks volumes, as the red egg cracks through the bamboo fence" (here, “a single flower” is Nancheng dialect for “a flower,” while “high mountain” and “flower tower” are both place names in Nancheng). According to the Zhengde-era "Jianchang Prefecture Annals," "saltpeter shops were densely located, often preserving [food] with Hong eggs."

　　Intrinsic Quality: Rich in nutrition, with high levels of protein, amino acids, lecithin, vitelline, as well as vitamins A, D, E, B-complex, and trace elements such as zinc, iron, calcium, iodine, and selenium. The eggs have a rich, mellow flavor, no fishy taste, an extremely tender texture, and are highly digestible. Compared to regular eggs, the whites are thicker, protein content is 1.5%–2% higher, fat content is 3% lower, and cholesterol is 12.8% lower. Unique yolk composition: per 100 grams of yolk, there are 150 mg of iron, 2000 international units of vitamin A, 0.3 mg of vitamin B2, 30 international units of vitamin D3, and 0.25 mg of vitamin B1.

　　Exterior Characteristics: The eggs are relatively small, weighing 45–50 grams each; the shells are hard, light (white) brown in color, and have a bright luster. Under light, the whole egg appears orange-red; when cracked open, the yolk is convex, intact, and resilient; the white is clear, transparent, with distinct viscosity, and free from off-odors.

　　Location: Jiangxi

　　Applicant: Nancheng County Green Breeding Industry Professional Cooperative

　　Location: 2013

　　Geographical Scope

　　Hongmen is located on the western edge of the Wuyi Mountains, characterized by typical low hilly terrain. The land generally slopes from southwest to northeast and from both east and west sides toward the center, making the county relatively flat. The geographical indication protection area for Hongmen Chicken Eggs spans between longitude 116°24′51″–116°57′41″ and latitude 27°18′00″–27°47′60″. The specific area includes four towns: Jianchang Town, Wanfang Town, Hongmen Town, and Litai Town. The protected scale is 1.1 million laying hens, with an annual output of 11,000 tons.

　　Product Quality and Characteristic Features

　　1. Exterior Sensory Characteristics: Hongmen Chicken Eggs have hard shells, light (white) brown in color, with a bright luster. When backlit, the entire egg appears orange-red, with no shadow on the yolk. Once cracked, the yolk is convex, intact, and resilient, while the white is clear, transparent, with distinct viscosity, and no off-odors. 2. Intrinsic Quality Indicators: The nutritional content of Hongmen Chicken Eggs is listed as follows: A comparison table of the main nutritional components of Hongmen Chicken Eggs and ordinary eggs is shown in the following table (omitted). 3. Quality and Safety Requirements: Product quality complies with NY/T 754-2011 "Green Food – Standards for Eggs and Egg Products."