A Detailed Introduction to the Latest Storage Methods for Wild Rice Stem

Wild rice stem, also known as high melon, wild rice shoot, wild rice hand, wild rice stem shoot, high shoot, etc., is a relatively common vegetable, mostly grown along the Yangtze River and lake areas, suitable for growing in fresh water. Let us take a look together at the storage methods for wild rice stem!

Soaking in Clean Water

Take selected wild rice stems that are neither tender nor old, with white flesh and firm, thick stems, remove the sheaths, and keep 2 to 3 wrapper leaves. Place them directly or in a cattail bag and soak them in a clean water pool (vat). Be sure to submerge the wild rice stems completely in the water, change the water frequently, and keep the water clean. This method can keep the wild rice stems fresh with no loss, and both the appearance and flesh quality are good.

Storage in Alum Water

Take selected, good-quality wild rice stems with the outer shells removed and soak them in alum water (add 0.5 to 0.6 kg of alum per 50 kg of water and stir until dissolved). Cover with sterilized bamboo strips arranged in a grid pattern, place stones on top, and press the wild rice stems 10 to 15 cm below the water surface. In terms of management, promptly remove the foam on the water surface. If there is too much foam and the water turns yellow, replace the alum water in time to prevent the wild rice stems from rotting. You can also directly smear alum powder on the base of the wild rice stems, then box and stack them. If the storage temperature can be controlled at around 1°C, they can be kept fresh for 2 to 3 months.

Cold Storage

Take selected wild rice stems with 2 to 3 wrapper leaves, box (basket) them and place them in a cold store for stacking, or tie them into bundles of 5.0 to 7.5 kg, put them in mesh bags, and place them on the storage racks in the cold store. Keep the store temperature at 0 to 1°C and the relative humidity at 95% to 98%. They can be stored safely for about 2 months.

Plastic Film Bags

Take selected shelled wild rice stem flesh and put it into 0.04 mm thick polyethylene plastic film bags, seal the bags, or put it into 0.06 mm thick perforated polyvinyl chloride plastic film bags, with about 5 kg per bag, place them on racks in a cold store, and keep the store temperature at 0 to 2°C and the relative humidity at 95% to 98%. They can be stored and kept fresh for more than 2 months. The appearance and quality of the wild rice stems are both good, and losses from dehydration and mildew are not great.

Salt Sealing

This is a folk storage method. The specific practice is to first spread a layer of edible salt about 5 cm thick on the bottom of a container (vat, bucket, pool, etc.), then lay selected wild rice stems with the sheaths removed and with two or three shells in order flat inside the container, stack them to 5 to 10 cm from the container opening, and seal well with salt. This storage method is relatively suitable in areas with dry air and colder climates. Because the southern region has higher temperatures and greater humidity, the sealing salt is likely to dissolve, and the wild rice stems are also prone to yellowing, spoiling, and rotting, so special attention must be paid to humidity control during storage.

Cellar Storage

Choose late-maturing wild rice stems that are neither old nor tender, with two or three shells, shorten the sheaths, spread them on the vegetable racks in the cellar, and keep the cellar temperature at 0 to 8°C. They can be stored for more than 2 months.