Huaxi Chili

Huaxi Chili

The Huaxi chili is a product with a geographical indication for agricultural products.

　　The Huaxi chili

　　The Guizhou Huaxi chili grows beneath towering green mountains and beside babbling streams in Huaxi District, Guiyang City. With a shiny dark red hue, it is roasted using an exclusive secret recipe to achieve a fragrant and spicy flavor.

　　The Huaxi chili is a traditional specialty product of Huaxi, commonly referred to as “Huaxi chili.” The chili oil, also known as pepper oil, produced from it boasts a golden-red color, a deliciously fresh taste, a spicy yet gentle heat, making it an excellent condiment to enhance meals. Owing to its superior quality, the Huaxi chili dominates the market in Guiyang, the provincial capital. The chili, also known as “fanjiao” or “dajiao,” is an annual herbaceous plant of the Solanaceae family that thrives in warm climates. It features alternate simple leaves with ovate blades and white or pale purple flowers. Its berries are green when unripe and typically turn red or orange-yellow upon ripening. The fruit peel and placental tissues contain capsaicin. Originally from the tropical regions of South America, the chili was introduced to China in the late Ming Dynasty and has been cultivated for hundreds of years. The Huaxi chili is grown in over 20 villages across Huaxi District, including Gaerong in Shibei Township, Gumeng in Yanlou Township, and Kailun in Malin Township. The growing areas for Huaxi chilies are situated at elevations of 1200–1250 meters, with average annual temperatures of 14.1–14.4°C, sunshine hours of 1250–1350 hours, annual rainfall of 1160–1200 mm, and a frost-free period of about 270 days. The soil is primarily yellow loam, small yellow sandy loam, and coarse clay loam, with moderate fertility, thick soil layers, and a favorable natural environment that facilitates the accumulation of substances within the chili, benefiting its nutritional growth. The Huaxi chili is shaped like a goat’s horn, uniformly sized, with thick flesh and moderate spiciness; the green horn chili has a smooth skin, thick flesh, and a sweet aftertaste of spice; the mature horn chili is dark red in color with a spicy yet non-irritating flavor. The Huaxi chili is sown and seedling-raised in early spring, transplanted in mid-March of the lunar calendar, and green chilies can be harvested and marketed successively from May to June of the lunar calendar, with bright red, shiny horn chilies maturing around the Mid-Autumn Festival. Chilies can be categorized as “summer chilies,” which are ripened and sun-dried during the hot season; “autumn chilies,” ripened and sun-dried after the beginning of autumn; and “baked chilies,” dried over a fire during prolonged rainy and overcast conditions. Dried chilies are processed into “ciba” spicy chilies, which are bright red in color, and chili oil made from them is rich in spicy fragrance, spicy yet not overpowering, oily yet not greasy, with a vibrant allure. These uniquely colored, fragrant, and flavorful chilies add brilliant hues and enticing aromas to Guiyang-style snacks such as Intestine and Blood Curd Noodles, Spicy Chicken Noodles, roll noodles, and cold noodles. Selected bright red and shiny Dangwu chilies are used to make pickled spicy chilies, preserving their nutritional value while boosting appetite with their special beauty and aroma. Chilies are highly nutritious — each kilogram of fresh chilies contains 185 mg of vitamin C, the highest among vegetables, surpassing even lemons and grapefruits. Their vitamin A content rivals that of carrots, and they also contain riboflavin, protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and other nutrients. Medical texts state that chilies have insecticidal, antiseptic, cold-expelling, and dampness-dispelling effects. Because chilies contain capsaicin, eating them can stimulate the gastrointestinal tract, help prevent stomach cancer, increase body heat, promote blood circulation, aid digestion, and strengthen resistance. Both ripe and unripe chilies can be stir-fried as vegetables or made into pickles, preserved vegetables, or dried and ground into chili powder for use as a seasoning.

　　Geographic Range

　　The protected area for the Huaxi chili with its geographical indication for agricultural products includes the Guzhu Office, Qingxi Office, Xibei Office, Qingyan Town, Shibei Town, Jiuan Township, Maiping Township, Yanlou Township, Dangwu Township, Gaopo Township, Huchao Township, Mengguan Township, Qiantao Township, and Malin Township. It borders Longli to the east, Changshun and Huishui to the south, Qingzhen and Pingba to the west, and Guiyang to the north, at an elevation of 1100 meters. The geographical coordinates are: 106°27′ – 106°52′ east longitude and 26°11′ – 26°34′ north latitude; it stretches 45 kilometers from north to south and 43 kilometers from east to west, covering an area of 957.60 square kilometers. The protected area spans 2,000 hectares, with an annual yield of 0.8 million tons.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　(1) External Sensory Characteristics: The plants are medium-sized with an opening width of 40–70 cm; lateral branches are relatively soft; the fruit hangs downward, with the chili body ranging from 5 cm to 10 cm in length; the fruit tips are pointed and often curved into a hook shape; dried chilies have thick, fleshy textures, deep red colors, heavy oil content, and a spicy yet not overly intense flavor. (2) Internal Quality Indicators: The Huaxi chili is known for its moderate spiciness and abundant aroma. According to analysis by the Guizhou Provincial Agricultural Product Quality and Safety Testing Center, its capsaicin content is 0.078, moisture content is 10.07, ash content is 4.2, fat content is 9.2, and vitamin A content is 1.07 mg per 100g. (3) The production of Huaxi chilies strictly follows the production norms and standards for pollution-free agricultural products. The safety and quality of the products comply with DB52/T462–2004, the “Guizhou Local Standard for High-Quality Dried Chilies.”