Qinzhou Cucumber Peel

Qinzhou Cucumber Peel

Qinzhou cucumber peel is a product with a geographical indication for agricultural products.

　　Qinzhou cucumber peel is a specialty of Qinnan District, Qinzhou City, Guangxi.

　　Qinzhou, during the Song Dynasty, was known as Songshou Commandery, during the Liang Dynasty as Anzhou, and in the 18th year of the Kaihuang era of the Sui Dynasty (598 AD), it was renamed Qinzhou. It is said that cucumber cultivation in Qinzhou began during the Song Dynasty and has a history of over 800 years. Locally, it is commonly referred to as "short-vine white-skin cucumber," a type of annual melon. The *Qinzhou Annals* compiled by Lin Xiyuan in the Ming Dynasty recorded: “Cucumber, cool in nature, can be eaten with meat strips.” This means that cucumbers produced in Qinzhou have a cooling and heat-relieving effect. They can be eaten raw to clear the throat and quench thirst; when pressed and pickled, diced, and stir-fried with meat, they are both colorful and delicious, making them a unique local dish in Qinzhou. They are often a main dish during local festivals and wedding banquets, as well as a popular gift. Legend has it that during the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty, the Guangdong imperial chef Jin Changqing carefully made cucumber peel from Qinzhou cucumbers, which became highly favored by the royal family. Since then, Qinzhou cucumber peel has gained fame and is regarded as a unique delicacy of Lingnan, celebrated alongside lychees and longans as one of the "Three Treasures of Lingnan." There is even a saying: “Better to give up shark’s fin and bird’s nest than Qinzhou cucumber peel.” In the late Qing Dynasty, the Hanlin scholar Feng Minchang had a special fondness for Qinzhou cucumber peel and had it with every meal. In the 1990s, multiple cucumber peel processing manufacturers in Qinzhou adopted new processing techniques, using pure fresh Qinzhou cucumbers and combining them with traditional methods to refine the product, preserving its natural flavor. The texture is crispy and tender, with a deliciously fresh taste. Upholding the flavor profile of “refined, plain, clean, and wild,” it is ready-to-eat straight from the bag, offering great convenience. It is a famous local specialty of Qinzhou, a common flavored snack in households, and an excellent gift for family and friends.

　　Region: Guangxi

　　Applicant: Qinzhou Cucumber Peel Industry Association

　　Region: 2014

　　Geographical Scope

　　The geographical protection area for Qinzhou cucumber peel, a product with a geographical indication for agricultural products, is located in the southern part of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. It borders Nanning, the capital of Guangxi, to the north; connects to Beihai City and Yulin City to the east; and neighbors Fangchenggang City to the west. This includes Qinnan District, Qinzhou District, Lingshan County, and Pubei County under the current jurisdiction of Qinzhou City. The protected area for Qinzhou cucumber peel lies between 107°27′ and 109°56′ east longitude, and 20°52′ and 22°41′ north latitude. Within this region, the cultivation area for Qinzhou cucumbers—the raw material used to make Qinzhou cucumber peel—covers 10,000 hectares, with an annual output of 350,000 tons.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　(1) External Sensory Characteristics: Qinzhou cucumbers are three-edged cylindrical in shape, measuring 15–20 cm in length and 4–6 cm in diameter, with a single cucumber weighing 200–300 g. They serve as the raw material for making Qinzhou cucumber peel. After pickling and pressing, the semi-finished product is flat and elongated, with yellowish-white wrinkled skin. The finished product consists of 1 cm × 2 cm slices, appearing yellowish-white, with thin skin and thick flesh, tender and crisp in texture, and a salty, sour, and fragrant taste. The edible rate is 100%, offering a refreshing and appetizing quality, making it an excellent accompaniment to meals. (2) Internal Quality Indicators: Qinzhou cucumber peel contains 60–200 kJ/100g of energy, 0.5–3.5 g/100g of protein, 0.3–1.6 g/100g of fat, 1.5–5.0 g/100g of carbohydrates, and 400–3350 mg/100g of sodium. (3) Safety Requirements: The selection of Qinzhou cucumber production areas strictly follows the *Environmental Conditions for Non-Polluted Vegetable Production Areas* (NY5010—2002). The planting process adheres to the *Technical Regulations for Non-Polluted Cucumber Production* (NY/T5075-2002), and the product safety indicators must comply with the requirements for melon vegetables as specified in Agricultural Office Quality Document [2013] No. 17.