Fuzhou Watermelon

Fuzhou Watermelon

Fuzhou Watermelon is an agricultural product with geographical indication.

　　Category: Fruit Product Name: Fuzhou Watermelon Registration Certificate No.: AGI01108 Ministry of Agriculture Announcement No./Date: No. 1925 (April 15, 2013) Brief Humanistic History Introduction Fuzhou Watermelon is as renowned as Kaifeng Watermelon from Henan, Fengyang Watermelon from Anhui, and Pinghu Watermelon from Zhejiang. The main production area of Fuzhou Watermelon is 151 village committees across 11 towns in Linchuan District. In 1996, the Ministry of Agriculture awarded Linchuan District the honorary title of one of the “Four Watermelon Capitals” in China. As early as the Song Dynasty, there were poems praising Fuzhou Watermelon, such as “Cool as frost and snow, sweet as honey; one bite cures serious ailments.” During several Central Government meetings at Mount Lu in the 1950s and 1960s, Fuzhou Watermelon was considered a delicacy, and Premier Zhou Enlai praised it by saying: “Fuzhou Watermelon has two great qualities: it relieves summer heat and doesn’t upset the stomach.” At the 1997 Jiangxi Province Watermelon and Melon Evaluation Conference, seedless watermelons from Linchuan swept the top three spots, while hybrid seeded watermelons took both the first and second prizes. The sales market for Fuzhou Watermelon spans across the whole country.

　　Fuzhou Watermelon, also known as Fuzhou Snow Melon, was introduced during the Song Dynasty. It is cherished for its crisp, refreshing flesh, sweet juice, minimal fiber, high yield, and storage resistance. It also has unique medicinal and health benefits such as reducing irritability and quenching thirst, relieving summer heat, clearing heat, treating sore throat, and curing bloody dysentery. It was once as famous as Kaifeng Watermelon from Henan, Fengyang Watermelon from Anhui, and Pinghu Watermelon from Zhejiang. Its current primary production areas include towns like Hunan Township and Qiligang in Linchuan District.

　　Internal Quality: Soluble solids 9.9%-15.5%, total acid (calculated as citric acid) 0.1%-0.2%, solid-acid ratio 75.5-80, VC 12mg/100g-14.5mg/100g, VA <0.001mg/100g, crude fiber 0.2%-0.3%, zinc <1mg/100g, magnesium 6.2mg/100g-7.2mg/100g, sodium 9.05mg/100g-10mg/100g, calcium 7.5mg/100g-8mg/100g, glucose 2%-2.2%, fructose 3.5%-4%, sucrose 1.5%-2%.

　　External Characteristics: Oblong shape, large size, typically weighing 15-20 kilograms per fruit. The rind is mostly light green (some are dark green or nearly black), with vertical stripes. There is a golden-yellow halo around the area where the rind meets the flesh. The flesh is yellow, juicy, crisp, sandy, refreshing, with minimal fiber and a faintly sweet, mild taste. It has a distinctive refreshing aroma. The rind is about 2 centimeters thick, making it good for storage and suitable even as a cooked dish—crisp and slightly sweet in flavor.

　　Geographic Range

　　Fuzhou Linchuan is located in the eastern part of Jiangxi Province, in the middle reaches of the Fu River. It borders Jinxi and Dongxiang to the east, Chongren and Fengcheng to the west, Nancheng and Yihuang to the south, and Jinxian to the north. The protected production area of Fuzhou Watermelon includes 11 townships (towns) in Linchuan District: Hunan Township, Qiligang Township, Taiyang Town, Yunshan Town, Changkai Town, Luozhen Town, Luohu Town, Xiaqiao Town, Fubei Town, Zhanping Township, and Shangdunpu Town. The protected area lies between longitude 116°12′31″—116°29′46″ and latitude 27°52′17″—28°14′52″, covering a protected area of 2,000 hectares, with an annual output of 90,000 tons.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　1. External Sensory Characteristics: Fuzhou Watermelon is oblong, large, typically weighing 15-20 kilograms per fruit. The rind is mostly light green (some are dark green or nearly black), with vertical stripes. There is a golden-yellow halo around the area where the rind meets the flesh. The flesh is yellow, juicy, crisp, sandy, refreshing, with minimal fiber and a faintly sweet, mild taste. It has a distinctive refreshing aroma. The rind is about 2 centimeters thick, making it good for storage and suitable even as a cooked dish—crisp and slightly sweet in flavor. 2. Internal Quality Indicators: Fuzhou Watermelon contains soluble solids 9.90%–15.50%, total acid (calculated as citric acid) 0.10%–0.20%, solid-acid ratio 75.50–80.00, vitamin C 12.0mg/100g–14.5mg/100g, crude fiber 0.20%–0.30%, magnesium 6.20mg/100g–7.20mg/100g, sodium 9.05mg/100g–10.00mg/100g, calcium 7.50mg/100g–8.00mg/100g, glucose 2.00%–2.20%, fructose 3.50%–4.00%, sucrose 1.50%–2.00%.