Basic Introduction to Heshan Black Jujube
Heshan Black Jujube is a specialty product of Heshan County, Handan City, Hebei Province, and is a Chinese national geographical indication product.
The Heshan black jujube is nearly spherical (round) or long ellipsoidal in shape, with a round top and few fruit powders; it is seedless. It is dark brown in color, with loose skin and soft, elastic flesh, and has a sweet and pleasant sandy texture.
The black jujube, scientifically known as Diospyros lotus, is also called wild persimmon and is widely distributed throughout northern China. Although it is called “jujube,” the black jujube actually does not belong to the commonly recognized jujube family. It is a plant from the genus Diospyros native to Northeast Asia.
The black jujube has many alternative names, such as soft jujube, clove jujube, milk persimmon, and wild persimmon. It is widely distributed across northern China and is mainly divided into two types: seeded and seedless. Major varieties include large-seeded black jujubes, milk jujubes, and grape black jujubes.
When people mention “black jujube,” they typically think of black-colored jujubes. Indeed, there is a type of jujube that is dark black in color. This black jujube is indeed a type of jujube, made by processing fresh jujubes (red dates) through a special method (oil boiling and smoking), making it a dried product of fresh jujubes. Because of its dark black color, it is also known as “black jujube.” Although this black jujube is also rich in nutrients, it still belongs to the red date category and is entirely different from the black jujube in the traditional nourishing kidney food “Black Five.”
Nutritional Value
The black jujube, scientifically known as Diospyros lotus, is one of the traditional nourishing kidney foods, the “Black Five.” The black jujube is rich in nutritional value, including carbohydrates, dietary fiber, fat, pectin, and protein, as well as abundant vitamins and minerals. These include vitamin A for eye protection, the B-vitamin complex to aid body metabolism, and minerals like calcium, iron, magnesium, and potassium that promote growth. These nutrients are all plentiful in black jujubes. More importantly, black jujubes contain bioactive substances such as tannins and yellow pigments. They also have an extremely potent effect on enhancing the body's immune system and provide significant therapeutic effects for ailments such as cardia cancer, lung cancer, and hemoptysis. Black jujubes contain proteins, sugars, organic acids, and phosphorus. With its warm nature and sweet taste, the black jujube has nourishing properties for both the kidneys and stomach and is referred to as a “nutrient warehouse”;
In addition, the greatest nutritional value of black jujubes lies in their rich content of dietary fiber and pectin, which can aid digestion and soften stools.
Product Characteristics
1. Sensory Characteristics: Nearly spherical (round) or long ellipsoidal in shape, with a round top and few fruit powders, and is seedless; dark brown in color, with loose skin and soft, elastic flesh; a single fruit weighs ≥2.30 g.
2. Physicochemical Indicators: Testing has shown that the Heshan black jujube contains ≤30.0% moisture, ≥1.35mg/100g iron (Fe), ≥90mg/100g calcium (Ca), and ≥0.12 mg/kg riboflavin.
3. Safety and Other Quality Technical Requirements: Product safety and other quality technical requirements must comply with relevant national regulations.
Authenticity Identification
1. Identifying High-Quality Black Jujubes: Good-quality black jujubes should have a lustrous dark appearance with a reddish hue, while those with a dull black color are of lesser quality, and those with a withered appearance are even worse. High-quality black jujubes should be large and uniform in size, short and plump, with a round top and square base, and fine shallow wrinkles on the skin;
2. When selecting black jujubes, you should also take care to identify those with insect damage, broken heads, or rot.
Awards and Honors for Heshan Black Jujube
On December 29, 2017, the original General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection, and Quarantine approved the implementation of geographical indication product protection for “Heshan Black Jujube.”