Bajiao Fragrant Rice

Bajiao Fragrant Rice

Bajiao Fragrant Rice is a geographical indication certification trademark.

　　Bajiao Fragrant Rice is a specialty of Echeng District, Ezhou City, Hubei Province.

　　The rice-producing areas of Bajiao Fragrant Rice include 18 villages within this region: Bajiao, Yanji, Longshan, Qingshan, Yangling, Moshan, Duwan, Yafan, Chihu, Mashan, Citang, Yingshan, Shatang, Chehu, Baihong, Lupai, Songshan, and Mayuan in Bajiao Town, Yanji Subdistrict, Echeng District. Bajiao Fragrant Rice is an important and well-known rice product of Ezhou. Its main characteristics are fine and long grains, plump and oval-shaped, high-quality rice with minimal belly-white, high gelatinization rate, translucent appearance, and rich nutrition.

　　 The raw material rice for Bajiao Fragrant Rice is produced in Yanji Town, which lies in the middle section of the Ezhou-Huanggang Second-Class Highway. The soil in the producing area is fertile, with organic matter content exceeding 3%. The soil layer is deep, with an active soil layer of over 60 cm, groundwater level below 1 meter, and soil pH value between 5.5 and 7.5—ideal conditions for growing Wudu Yingxian, the raw indica rice variety. The annual average temperature in the Bajiao Fragrant Rice producing area ranges from 14°C to 21°C, with annual rainfall between 800 and 2000 mm. The frost-free period lasts 200 to 360 days, at altitudes below 300 meters, with extreme low temperatures reaching -17°C, and accumulated temperature ≥10°C ranging from 4250 to 7000°C.

　　 The unique geographical environment and climatic features give Bajiao Fragrant Rice its distinctive quality, setting it apart from other rice varieties. The rice, after processing, has a smooth and glossy surface, with slender or long oval grains—some exceeding 7 mm in length. It has a high yield when cooked, low stickiness, a crisp texture, and is prone to breakage during processing. The cross-section is mostly flat and round, with colors ranging from white and transparent to semi-transparent and opaque. Bajiao Fragrant Rice contains about 75% carbohydrates, 7%-8% protein, 1.3%-1.8% fat, and is rich in B vitamins. The carbohydrates are mainly starch, and the proteins consist primarily of glutelin, followed by oryzenin and globulin. Its protein biological value and amino acid composition ratio are higher than those of other cereal crops such as wheat, barley, millet, and corn. With a digestibility of 66.8%-83.1%, it is one of the more digestible cereal proteins. It offers benefits such as invigorating the spleen and stomach, nourishing qi, strengthening vitality, benefiting the five internal organs, improving blood circulation, enhancing hearing and vision, relieving irritability, quenching thirst, and alleviating diarrhea.