Bayinbuluke Mushrooms

Bayinbuluke Mushrooms

Bayinbuluke Mushrooms are a product with a geographical indication for agricultural products.

　　The beautiful scenery of Bayinbuluke is loved by tourists from all over the world for its uniqueness and natural beauty. “Bayinbuluke Mushrooms” are even more favored by an increasing number of food enthusiasts for being green, eco-friendly, and natural. Every summer, tourists and gourmets flock to Bayinbuluke to forage for mushrooms, causing “Bayinbuluke Mushrooms” to quickly become scarce and their prices to rise steadily. Some herders even give up their jobs in summer to form specialized “Bayinbuluke Mushroom” harvesting teams, collecting and professionally picking the mushrooms to boost their income.

　　Through tourists bringing them home and giving them as gifts, the reputation of “Bayinbuluke Mushrooms” has continued to grow, gaining favor across the country. To further enhance their visibility and credibility, Hejing County promptly applied to the National Ministry of Agriculture, which ultimately granted certification.

　　The certification of Bayinbuluke Mushrooms by the Ministry of Agriculture is of great significance for effectively protecting the “Bayinbuluke Mushrooms” brand, increasing product value, and promoting the healthy and rapid industrial development of “Bayinbuluke Mushrooms.”

　　Bayinbuluke Mushrooms

　　Geographic Range

　　Hejing County is located in central Xinjiang, on the southern foothills of the central Tianshan Mountains, in the northwest region of the Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture and the northwest part of the Yanqi Basin. It lies between 82°28"–87°52" east longitude and 42°06"–43°33" north latitude, bordering 17 counties and cities including Urumqi and Korla. Bayinbuluke Grassland is situated in the northwest of Hejing County. It is an intermountain basin and the finest alpine natural pasture in southern Xinjiang, covering a total area of 23,835 square kilometers, accounting for 60% of the county’s total area. It lies in the subalpine and alpine zones, with elevations between 2,000–2,500 meters, surrounded by mountain ranges over 3,000 meters high. The protected geographic indication area for Bayinbuluke Mushrooms as an agricultural product spans from Alagou Caogou in the east to Kokousun at the western end of Dayouleduzi in the west, from Jinguang Pasture south of Swan Lake in the south, to Hustom Gully of Xiaoyouleduzi in the north. The distribution area extends approximately 400 kilometers in length and 150 kilometers in width. It includes six townships (towns) and 21 villages: Bayin Guoleng Township, Bayinbuluke Town, Elezhetewuru Township, Gongnaisi Township, Baluntai Town, and Alagou Township. The total protected area for the Bayinbuluke Mushrooms agricultural product geographical indication is 265,000 hectares, with an annual yield of about 10 tons.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　(1) External Sensory Characteristics: Bayinbuluke Mushrooms are mainly composed of the "dingzi mushroom" variety. Also known as Mongolian boletus or white mushroom, it is a representative and premium variety of boletes. In its young stage, the dingzi mushroom is hemispherical, white, smooth, with incurved edges. Young mushrooms that are unopened, intact, and shaped like the character "丁" (ding), with caps 1–2 cm in diameter, are called “dingzi mushrooms.” When mature and open, the cap expands to 5–18 cm in diameter, remains white, with a smooth surface. The flesh is thick, white, and dense. The gills are white, silky, decurrent, and of unequal length. The stem is central, 3–7 cm long and 1.5–4.5 cm thick, solid, slightly swollen at the base, and white. The spores are pale egg-white, smooth, oval-shaped, measuring 6–9.5 micrometers × 3.5–4 micrometers. Mature, open dingzi mushrooms are referred to as “slice mushrooms.” (2) Internal Quality Indicators: These refer to quantifiable unique physicochemical properties that require instrument testing. Bayinbuluke Mushrooms are rich in amino acids, containing 26–33.0 g/100g of crude protein, 8%–11.0% crude fiber, 25%–34% carbohydrates, iron content of (0.8–1.12) × 10³ mg/kg, calcium content of (2.9–3.3) × 10³ mg/kg, and phosphorus content of (0.9–1.3) × 10⁴ mg/kg. White mushrooms not only have edible value but also certain medicinal benefits. Traditional Chinese medicine regards white mushrooms as neutral in nature and sweet in flavor, possessing effects such as invigorating the intestines, regulating qi, clearing heat and blood, and detoxifying. They are used to treat conditions like delayed eruption of measles in children and restlessness. (3) Safety Requirements: Bayinbuluke Mushrooms strictly comply with the edible fungi standard NT/T 794-2003. The production environment meets the requirements of the Green Food Production Environment Technical Conditions (NY/T 391-2000). (4) Packaging: Packaging materials must meet national food packaging hygiene standards and environmental protection requirements. Therefore, all packaging materials should be clean, hygienic, dry, non-toxic, odorless, and compliant with food safety regulations. All packaging must be sturdy and durable for transport.