PR86551

CHENGDU, China, Nov. 12, 2020 /Xinhua=KYODO JBN/--

The 12th China Pickles Food International Expo and 3rd World Sichuan Cuisine

Conference will be held between November 16 and 22, 2020, at Dongpo District in

Meishan, China. The Expo is sponsored by the China National Food Industry

Association and China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Foodstuffs,

and organized by the Sichuan Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural

Affairs and Meishan Municipal People's Government, while this year's World

Sichuan Cuisine Conference is sponsored by the World Federation of Chinese

Catering Industry and also organized by the Meishan Municipal People's Government.

The event will also be broadcasted online, with delegates from 25 nations and

regions to partake through the Internet. Meanwhile, more than 1,500 individuals

including representatives from over 300 well-known Chinese and foreign

enterprises, some 120 professional procurement agencies alongside Sichuan

restauranteurs and chefs have confirmed their attendance.

Revolving around the theme of "Healthy Food, World Sharing", the event will

spotlight Dongpo pickle, which has conquered the taste buds of countless

gastronomes across the globe with its healthily low salt content, crunchy

texture, irresistible aroma and unique flavor. The COVID-19 pandemic has

ravaged the planet, and the crispy and appetizing Dongpo pickle, a healthy and

leisurely consumable, has helped reinvigorate the palate suppressed by the dire

circumstance, endowing people with an extra bit of joy in this difficult time.

Pairing Dongpo pickle with bread, steak or instant noodles have even emerged as

a culinary trend around the world.

Dongpo pickle is named after the revered intellect and gastronome Su Dongpo,

who was born in Meishan, the "home of Chinese pickled vegetables", where the

custom of pickling foodstuff dates back to three millennia ago. Su Dongpo was a

fan of eating and making pickled vegetables, which he used to cook Dongpo ham

hock and Dongpo fish, two classic dishes in the Sichuan culinary repertoire.

One reason why Sichuan cuisine has swept the world by storm is because of the

magic in this seemingly ordinary pickled food, which some call the soul of Sichuan cuisine.

Since the 1980s, the production of Dongpo pickle has shifted from traditional

folk workshops toward modernized methods. Today, Meishan is home to more than

60 pickled foods and condiments enterprises capable of processing 2.06 million

tons of ingredients and generating sales revenue in excess of RMB20 billion.

They account for one third of the entire Chinese market and half of the Sichuan

market, with products sold in over one hundred nations and regions around the globe.

Located around the 30th parallel north, Meishan is noted for its mild and

comfortable climate that is conducive to the fermentation of Dongpo pickle and

the growth of constituent natural ingredients. To guarantee the quality of

Dongpo pickle, Meishan not only built the National Pickled Vegetable Quality

Inspection Center and founded the Sichuan Dongpo Chinese Paocai Industrial

Technology Research Institute, but also pioneered the first pickled vegetable

industry standard. The stringent vegetable base product output requirements

ensure the standard, quality and safety of raw ingredients used to make pickled

vegetables. At present, Meishan is home to 460,000mu of pickled vegetable raw

material bases and has established the food safety supervision, monitoring and

traceability systems, with 100% agricultural products certified harm-free.

When the fresh, green and ecological vegetables arrive from production base to

the enterprise, workers at the Jixiangju Food Co., Ltd. swing into action. They

have to pre-process, clean and cut the vegetables within the shortest possible

time, then apply pickling materials to preserve the nutrients of the vegetables

to the maximum. After months of fermentation, workers would further process and

then package the pickled goods. After completing the final pasteurization step,

bags of healthy, nutritious and delicious Dongpo pickle are ready to be shipped

to corners around the world.

At Sichuan Laotanzi Food Co., Ltd., "Dongpo pickle production technique"

intangible cultural heritage inheritor He Yanping produces Dongpo pickle using

ancient method that creates a distinct flavor profile. Clean veggies are

submerged and sealed in 5,000 ancient ceramic jars that contain old pickling

solution, and after undergoing lactic fermentation that lasts several months or

even up to a year, vegetables emanate a robust and pure sour fragrance that

bestows on Sichuan cuisine a unique, delectable taste. Laotanzi joins the ranks

of Jixiangju, Chuannan and Liji Pickle as one of the country's first pickled

vegetable enterprises with independent export operation. Jixiangju even

partnered with the Walt Disney Company to collaborate on high-end pickled

vegetable products with packaging that features IP imagery such as those of

Marvel Comics superheroes, Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, joining hands with

Ironman, Captain America, Thor, Mickey and Minnie in leading a new gastronomic trend.

This year marks the 12th year for Meishan to host the China Pickles Food

International Expo, and at every session the Dongpo pickle has always tickled

the taste buds of attendees with its crunchy yet soft texture, sour yet

tantalizing flavor, and long-lasting after taste. Over the past years, guests

had witnessed the evolution and progress of Dongpo pickle, and this little

culinary delight has emerged alongside Meishan as yet another brilliant calling

cards well-received worldwide.

Source: Meishan Municipal People's Government