Liuyang Kumquat

Liuyang Kumquat

Liuyang kumquats are a geographical indication agricultural product.

　　Liuyang kumquats have been cultivated for over a thousand years, with the earliest record found in the Song Dynasty’s “Treatise on Food and Money”: “To the east of Liuyang, where mountains are deep and soil is rich, the fertile land is perfect for growing kumquats.” “The larger ones are as big as coins, the smaller like dragon eyes, golden in color, with fine and glossy flesh, perfectly round and delightful to behold. Eaters do not peel off the golden skin, and it is best enjoyed when preserved in honey.” According to the “Annals of Hunan Province,” during the Ming Dynasty, Liuyang kumquats were listed as a “tribute fruit.” In the Tongzhi era of the Qing Dynasty, the areas of Daguang, Dahu, and Tuánluó produced over ten thousand dan (a traditional unit) of kumquats annually, earning the reputation as the “hometown of kumquats.” As a renowned small fruit with local characteristics that is edible, medicinal, and ornamental, Liuyang kumquats not only serve as food and decoration but also offer high medicinal value. They aid digestion, strengthen the spleen, eliminate phlegm, improve circulation, clear heat and cold, and help prevent bronchitis and cerebrovascular diseases. There are two main varieties: Jindan (Golden Bullet) and Round Kumquat. These oval-shaped fruits have a sweet and crisp rind, thick flesh, and a slightly sour taste, containing 3–4 seeds. Their flavor is sweet and sour with a fragrant aroma. The trees are adaptable, drought-resistant, poor-soil-tolerant, and disease-resistant. The fruit ripens from late October to early December, and with plastic film greenhouse covering, harvesting can be delayed until mid-to-late January. Each fruit weighs 20–30 grams, with some reaching up to 40 grams. This variety is prized for its attractive appearance, excellent quality, and unique flavor, making it highly favored by consumers. It is currently one of the top specialty fruit varieties in Hunan and even the broader Jiangnan region in terms of overall characteristics, especially marketability.

　　Liuyang kumquats are a premium local specialty variety. They feature a bright golden-yellow color, a sweet and sour taste, a fragrant aroma, a rich and pure flavor, and are highly nutritious, with notable medicinal benefits. Liuyang kumquats are a nationally protected geographical indication agricultural product.

　　The most distinctive feature of Liuyang kumquats is their sweet, fragrant rind, making it ideal to eat both the rind and the flesh together. Besides being eaten raw, kumquat flesh can also be combined with ginger, aged vinegar, and soy sauce to create dipping sauces for sliced boiled chicken, offering a refreshing and uniquely flavorful experience. Kumquats have a wide range of uses and can be processed into kumquat cakes and canned kumquats. The resulting product, known as “money kumquat,” retains the original flavor of the kumquat while also serving as a nutritious and medicinal item.

　　According to the “Compendium of Materia Medica,” kumquats help harmonize the stomach and relieve flatulence. Modern scientific analysis shows that kumquats are highly nutritious, containing various vitamins needed by the human body, particularly higher levels of vitamin C, B, and B2 compared to other citrus fruits. They also provide a range of essential amino acids. Eating just five or six kumquats a day can meet the body’s vitamin requirements. Kumquats also have significant medicinal value. They strengthen the spleen, aid digestion, eliminate phlegm, improve circulation, clear heat, and combat cold. Especially in winter, eating kumquats can help prevent colds. If one already has a cold, roasting the kumquat and brewing it in hot water yields even better therapeutic effects. Soaking kumquats in alcohol can help prevent bronchitis. Additionally, kumquats help prevent cerebrovascular diseases. (Changsha)

　　Geographic Scope

　　The protected production area for the Liuyang Kumquat geographical indication agricultural product includes three townships in Liuyang City: Yanxi Town, Guandu Town, and Dahu Town. To the east are Daweishan Town and Zhangfang Town, to the south are Qibaoshan Township and Yonghe Town, to the west are Sankou Township and Gugang Town, and to the north is Sicun Township of Pingjiang County. The geographic coordinates lie between 113°44′ to 114°01′ east longitude and 28°16′ to 28°31′ north latitude. The protected area spans 1,000 hectares, with an annual yield of 15,000 tons.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　1. External Sensory Characteristics: Liuyang kumquats are a specialty local variety of Liuyang City, belonging to the Fortunella genus, Jindan (Golden Bullet) species. The fruit is round, relatively large, with a bright orange-yellow rind and milky-white, tender, juicy flesh. It has a unique flavor that is well-balanced between sweet and sour. Both the rind and the flesh are edible, and the fruit typically has few or no seeds. It can be processed into kumquat blossoms and is a premium citrus variety suitable for both fresh consumption and processing.   2. Internal Quality Indicators: Liuyang kumquats are highly nutritious. Tests show they contain soluble solids ≥12%, total sugar ≥11%, total acid ≤0.4%, Vitamin C ≥28mg/100g, calcium ≥35mg/100g, and potassium ≥270mg/100g. They also contain a variety of amino acids, with a total amino acid content ≥239mg/100g.   3. They comply with the safety standards outlined in “NY5014-2005 Pollution-Free Citrus Fruits.”