Basic Introduction to Longlin Chestnuts
Longlin County is located in Baise City, Guangxi, and is a mountainous county primarily engaged in chestnut production. The cultivation of chestnuts in Longlin County, Baise, has a long history and is renowned for its high quality and unique flavor.
Longlin chestnuts are divided into oil chestnuts and hairy chestnuts. Oil chestnuts have an oval shape, are neatly arranged and full, with a purple-brown or reddish-brown skin that is thin, smooth, shiny, and has few fine hairs; the flesh is light yellow. Hairy chestnuts have a flattened oval shape, thin skin with fine hairs, a red-brown or brownish-red skin, and light yellow flesh.
Longlin chestnuts are a highly nutritious food and are widely favored by consumers. Modern scientific research has discovered that the content of beta-carotene in chestnuts is four times that of peanuts, and the vitamin C content is 18 times that of peanuts. They have excellent anti-cancer, cholesterol-lowering, thrombus-preventing, and antiviral and antibacterial effects.
Product Characteristics
1. Sensory Features:
① Oil chestnuts have an oval shape, are neatly arranged and full, with a purple-brown or reddish-brown skin that is thin, smooth, shiny, and has few fine hairs; the flesh is light yellow;
② Hairy chestnuts have a flattened oval shape, thin skin with fine hairs, a red-brown or brownish-red skin, and light yellow flesh.
2. Grade Specifications:
The grade specifications for hairy chestnuts and oil chestnuts should comply with Table 1.
3. Grade Specifications
Superior Grade
Hairy chestnuts: Uniform kernels, 80-120 kernels per kilogram; no moldy, worm-eaten, or impure kernels. Dried and split kernels together do not exceed 2%
Oil chestnuts: Uniform kernels, 90-130 kernels per kilogram
First Grade
Hairy chestnuts: Uniform kernels, 121-145 kernels per kilogram; no moldy, worm-eaten, or impure kernels. Dried and split kernels together do not exceed 6%
Oil chestnuts: Uniform kernels, 131-160 kernels per kilogram
Qualified Grade
Hairy chestnuts: Uniform kernels, 146-167 kernels per kilogram; no impurities, moldy kernels, or worm-eaten kernels. Dried and split kernels together do not exceed 8%
Oil chestnuts: Uniform kernels, 161-190 kernels per kilogram
Note: The number of kernels per kilogram does not apply to small fruit varieties.
4. Physicochemical Specifications
Hairy chestnuts: Moisture (g/100g) 45-52; Protein (g/100g) ≥3.0; Starch (g/100g) 25-40; Calcium (mg/kg) ≥130; Fat (g/100g) 0.4-3.0; Amino acids (g/100g) ≥2.5;
Oil chestnuts: Moisture (g/100g) 42-50; Protein (g/100g) ≥2.8; Starch (g/100g) 30-45; Calcium (mg/kg) ≥128; Fat (g/100g) 0.6-3.2; Amino acids (g/100g) ≥2.3;
Awards and Honors
On December 29, 2017, the original General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine approved the implementation of geographical indication product protection for “Longlin Chestnuts.”