Chibi Bamboo Shoots

Chibi Bamboo Shoots

Chibi Bamboo Shoots are a protected geographical indication product.

　　Chibi Bamboo Shoots are a specialty of Chibi City, Xianning, Hubei Province. Known as the "Hometown of Phyllostachys pubescens in China," Chibi City currently has 380,000 mu of bamboo forests. Rich in phosphorus, iron, calcium, and other trace elements, Chibi Bamboo Shoots have a unique flavor and are a rare, all-natural health food. With an annual output of 10,000 tons, they are sold well in more than ten provinces and cities across China and are deeply loved by consumers.

　　Chibi City is known as the "Hometown of Phyllostachys pubescens in China" and currently has 380,000 mu of bamboo forests, with over 150 varieties of bamboo, including Phyllostachys pubescens, Phyllostachys praecox, and Neosinocalamus affinis, among which Phyllostachys pubescens accounts for over 90% of the total bamboo forest area. In recent years, the Chibi municipal government has vigorously promoted the development of the bamboo industry. By combining company leadership, departmental coordination, and the participation of forest farmers, it has implemented the construction of standardized demonstration areas for dual-purpose bamboo shoot and timber forests. The industrialized management model of "company + base + farmer" has been adopted, along with the promotion of advanced and applicable high-yield techniques for bamboo shoot and timber forests, enabling large-scale production of bamboo shoots. Rich in phosphorus, iron, calcium, and other trace elements, Chibi Bamboo Shoots have a unique flavor and are a rare, all-natural health food. With an annual output of 10,000 tons, they are sold well in more than ten provinces and cities across China and are deeply loved by consumers.

　　The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine issued Announcement No. 41 of 2013, approving "Chibi Bamboo Shoots" as a national protected geographical indication product, with protection implemented starting March 15, 2013. This is another national protected geographical indication product for Chibi City, following "Yangloudong Brick Tea (Dong Tea)" and "Chibi Kiwifruit."

　　The administrative regions under the jurisdiction of six towns, forest farms, and offices in Chibi City, Hubei Province: Zhaoliqiao Town, Chanyanling Town, Guantangyi Town, Zhonghuopu Town, Guantangyi Forest Farm, and Lushuihu Scenic Area Office.

　　Letter from the People's Government of Chibi City, Hubei Province "On Determining the Protection Scope of the National Geographical Indication Product Chibi Bamboo Shoots," Chibi Zheng Han [2012] No. 44; Hubei Provincial Local Standard: "Geographical Indication Product – Chibi Bamboo Shoots" (draft).

　　I. Varieties

　　Moso Bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis).

　　II. Site Conditions

　　Within the production area, at altitudes of 200 to 700 meters, on low hills and gentle slopes, the soil type is slightly acidic yellow-brown soil, with a pH value of 4.5 to 5.5 and a soil layer thickness of ≥30 cm.

　　III. Cultivation and Management

　　1. Seedling cultivation: Select one-year-old new bamboo as transplanted culms.

　　2. Planting time: February to April.

　　3. Selection and retention of mother bamboo: Thin Moso Bamboo once every two years, maintaining a density of 1,800 to 2,600 culms per hectare, with one-third each being one-year-old, three-year-old, and five-year-old bamboo. Remove all bamboo over five years old, dig out old bamboo stumps, and sever any attached floating rhizomes.

　　4. Rhizome severing and burying: Selectively remove some rhizome buds to encourage lateral rhizome growth; during June to September, dig trenches to bury exposed rhizomes 30 to 35 cm underground, and remove a small amount of rhizome shoots, then cover with grass to retain moisture.

　　5. Tipping: During October to December, pinch off the tender tips of the current year’s new bamboo, or do so when the new bamboo reaches a height of 6 to 8 meters, which can promote rhizome and shoot growth.

　　6. Fertilization: Apply more than 30 t/hm² of well-rotted organic fertilizer annually, plowing it into the soil and leveling it.

　　7. Irrigation: Irrigation volume of 150 to 200 t/hm².

　　8. Environmental and safety requirements: The use of pesticides, fertilizers, etc., must comply with relevant national regulations, and environmental pollution must be avoided.

　　IV. Harvesting Requirements

　　1. Winter shoot harvesting: From mid-October to February of the following year, harvesting is combined with soil turning and field loosening. Dig for shoots by turning the soil along healthy two- or three-year-old bamboo rhizomes, or look for loose or cracked surface soil around pregnant bamboo and dig shallow holes. Select plump, intact, well-colored winter shoots weighing over 150 grams.

　　2. Spring shoot harvesting: From early March to mid-April, harvest by cutting at the base. After digging, fertilize and cover the hole with soil. In early April, select shoots and retain mother bamboo.

　　V. Processing Techniques

　　1. Dried bamboo shoot processing technique: Raw material preparation → boiling shoots → rinsing shoots → pressing shoots → sun-drying shoots → shaping and packaging.

　　2. Boiled bamboo shoot (clear-water bamboo shoot) processing technique: Material selection → shaping and weighing → boiling shoots → cooling and rinsing → vacuum sealing → sterilization → cooling → storage.

　　VI. Quality Characteristics

　　 1. Sensory characteristics:

　　(1) Fresh bamboo shoots: Winter shoots have small, short, and thick bases, conical in shape, slightly curved, plump in body, intact in form, with bright yellow husks and milky-white flesh. They have a tender texture and weigh over 150g each. Spring shoots have large, stout bases, plump bodies, and intact forms. The husks are brownish-yellow, the flesh is white with a slight yellow tint, and they are crisp and refreshing, weighing over 300g each.

　　(2) Boiled bamboo shoots (clear-water shoots): The shoot flesh is milky-white, glossy, with clear broth, and a small amount of white exudate is allowed. The shoots are tender, with intact tips and nodes, smooth cut surfaces, and even slicing.

　　(3) Dried bamboo shoots: Golden yellow with a glossy sheen, uniformly colored, and glossy on the cut surface after soaking in water. The form is largely intact; the surface is dry, free from mold spots or insect damage, smooth and tender, with few fibers, no bitter or astringent off-flavors, chewy, and possessing the unique aroma of dried bamboo shoots. No foreign impurities are present.

　　2. Physicochemical indicators:

　　(1) Fresh bamboo shoots:

　　Item                                                                                                 &很长

　　Moisture (%) ≥ 84

　　Crude fiber (%) ≤ 1.2

　　Crude protein (%) ≥ 2.0

　　Total sugar (calculated as glucose) (%) ≥ 3.0

　　(2) Boiled bamboo shoots (clear-water bamboo shoots):

　　Item Indicator

　　Total sugar (calculated as glucose) (%) ≥ 3.0

　　Ash content (%) ≤ 0.6

　　Crude fiber (%) ≤ 1.2

　　(3) Dried bamboo shoots:

　　Item Indicator

　　Moisture (%) ≤ 15.0

　　Crude fiber (%) ≤ 21

　　Ash content (%) ≤ 3.5

　　Total sugar (calculated as glucose) (%) ≥ 3.0

　　3. Safety and other quality technical requirements: The product safety and other quality technical requirements must comply with relevant national regulations.