Jeonnam Agricultural Products Quality Management Service Provides Origin Information for Agricultural Products Used in Lunar New Year Ancestral Rites and Offerings

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] The Jeonnam Branch of the National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service (Branch Chief Hwang Gyukwang) announced on the 8th that it will provide origin identification information for major agricultural products to help with shopping for ancestral rites tables and ritual items ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday.

Jujubes that have a lighter surface color, a strong fragrance, and many stems attached are domestic, while Chinese jujubes have a darker surface color, almost no fragrance, and fewer stems attached.

Dried persimmons that have firm flesh, bright orange color, and little skin attached near the stem are domestic. Chinese dried persimmons have hard or soft flesh, a dull orange color, and much skin attached near the stem.

For peeled balloon flower roots, domestic ones are short in length, have some skin remaining as it does not peel off easily, and feel soft with little bitterness when bitten. Chinese ones are relatively longer, have cleanly peeled skin, and feel tough with a strong bitter taste when bitten.

Domestic bracken stems have irregularly cut cross-sections at the bottom and feel tender when eaten. Chinese bracken stems have smooth cross-sections cut with a knife at the bottom and have a tough texture.

Domestic shiitake mushrooms (fresh shiitake) feature wide, irregular caps and clean, fresh stems, whereas Chinese shiitake mushrooms have round, uniform caps and stems with foreign substances attached.

For aster scaber, domestic ones have thin stems with few discolored parts and are dried with leaves spread out, maintaining a clear shape. Chinese ones have thick stems with many discolored parts and are dried rolled up, resulting in an unclear shape.

Domestic carrots have thick heads and thin ends, are washed with rough brushes leaving scratch marks, and have a white powdery coating. Chinese carrots have similar thickness at the head and end, are washed only with water, and remain smooth over time.

More detailed information on origin identification methods by item can be found on the Agricultural Products Quality Management Service website.

The Jeonnam branch plans to conduct a joint crackdown on agricultural product origin labeling (including grain labeling system and livestock traceability system) with honorary inspectors and local governments until the 23rd to prevent consumers from suffering damages by purchasing Chinese agricultural products disguised as domestic ones ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.