Nalati Black Bee Honey

Nalati Black Bee Honey

Nalati Black Bee Honey is a geographical indication agricultural product.

　　Nalati Black Bee Honey is a specialty of Xinyuan County, Yili, Xinjiang. The black bee is a unique and superior breed on the Xinjiang Rural Informatization Service website and one of the world's four most renowned bee species. Black bees are large in size, robust in constitution, and strong in physical ability. They have greater disease resistance than any other bee variety. They are also highly cold-resistant, able to safely survive harsh winters with temperatures below minus 30 degrees Celsius and can still forage in the wild even at 8 degrees Celsius. With a high flight altitude and wide foraging radius, they can collect nectar from unpolluted flowers deep in the Tianshan Mountains at altitudes between 1,800 and 2,500 meters. Therefore, Nalati Black Bee Honey is characterized by high sugar content and rich nutritional components such as minerals, organic acids, proteins, vitamins, and enzymes.

　　Region:

　　Xinjiang

　　Applicant:

　　Xinyuan County Beekeeping Association

　　Region:

　　2014

　　Geographical Scope

　　Xinyuan County is located in the northwest of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, on the northern foothills of the Tianshan Mountains, at the eastern end of the Ili River Valley, and in the valley of the Gongnaisi River. It stretches from the Aikenda Mountain Range in the east, borders Gongliu County and Hejing County to the south, and shares boundaries with Nileke County, Shawan County, and Hejing County to the northeast. The core area of the Nalati Black Bee Honey geographical indication agricultural product is situated in the eastern part of Xinyuan County’s administrative region, on the north bank of the Gongnaisi River, 60 kilometers from the county seat. It lies within the 5A-level Nalati Scenic Area on the Nalati Grassland, nestled among the Nalati Mountain, Andir Mountain, and Abrel Mountain ranges. To the east and south it neighbors Hejing, to the west it connects with Kansu Township and A’erma’le Township, and to the north it borders Nileke County. The protected geographical scope includes 80 administrative villages across Nalati Town, Kansu Township, A’erletuobie Town, A’erma’le Township, Bestobe Township, Xinyuan Town, Turgun Township, Zektai Town, Talede Town, Xiaoerbulaqi Town, and Kalabulake Town. Among these, Nalati Town, Xinyuan Town, A’erma’le Township, and A’erletuobie Town are within the core protection zone of the Nalati Black Bee habitat. The geographical coordinates are: longitude 82°28′ to 84°56′, latitude 43°03′ to 43°40′, with an elevation ranging from 780 to 4,380 meters. The protected area spans 997,000 hectares, protecting 44,000 bee colonies, with an annual honey production of 1,400 tons.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　(1) External Sensory Characteristics: At room temperature, Nalati Black Bee Honey is a clear, transparent, viscous or semi-viscous liquid with good fluidity or appears in crystalline form. Depending on the nectar source plants collected and the season, it presents various colors ranging from water-white to light amber and deep amber. Due to different nectar plant varieties, the honey has distinct aromatic qualities, featuring a pure, fragrant, and pleasant floral aroma, along with a smooth and sweet taste. (2) Internal Quality Indicators: The reducing sugar content of Nalati Black Bee Honey is ≥70% (g/100 g), sucrose ≤6% (g/100 g), moisture ≤20%, and proline ≥0.02% (g/100 g). (3) Safety Requirements: The overall principle of producing Nalati Black Bee Honey is to strictly follow the standards for product quality and safety in accordance with NY 5134—2002 “Pollution-Free Food – Honey.” Packaging and sales are conducted according to the GB/19630.3-2005 standard, while management follows the GB/19630.4-2005 standard.