Why is Northeast China rice so delicious? All the reasons are here

Chinese people love white rice. Which place's rice tastes the best? The answers vary widely, but most people will tell you: choose Northeast China rice.

Nowadays, as long as you walk into supermarkets in various places, you are sure to see Northeast China rice of various brands displayed on the shelves. Even in the Jiangsu and Zhejiang region, long known as the "home of rice," Northeast China rice also sells very well.

So why can Northeast China rice sell so well? Why do most people think Northeast China rice tastes better? What secret is behind this? A reporter recently conducted related interviews.

Current situation: Northeast China rice sells well nationwide, occupying 25% of the market share

Ms. Li, from Jilin, is now a reporter at a newspaper in Beijing and an absolute supporter of Northeast China rice. "I often travel for work and have been to many places across the country. I have eaten a lot of local rice, but in my eyes, the most delicious is still our Northeast China rice." Ms. Li told the reporter that after living in Beijing for so many years, the rice her family eats is basically brought from her hometown.

Coincidentally, Chen Peng, a Liaoning native now working at a state-owned enterprise in Guangzhou, is just like Ms. Li, carrying rice from his hometown all over the country. "When I graduated from university, as soon as the whole family heard I was going to work in Guangzhou, their first reaction was, 'What will you do about food?' They thought southern rice was edible, but not as delicious as Northeast China rice. After I arrived in Guangzhou, I indeed had this feeling. Now people from my hometown basically mail rice to me." Chen Peng told the reporter.

It is not only Northeasterners who think Northeast China rice is delicious. In many places in southern China, Northeast China rice is likewise popular. According to relevant statistics, Northeast China rice currently occupies 25% of China's rice market, and in some grain-importing areas in the south, sales of Northeast China rice are also increasing year by year. Among the top ten well-known rice brands nationwide, several Northeast China rice brands are included. In particular, Daohuaxiang rice from Wuchang, Heilongjiang, has long become a typical representative of Northeast China rice entering the national market.

Decoding: Rice cultivation differs between north and south, and multiple factors lead to quality differences

So what exactly makes Northeast China rice delicious? Is there a scientific basis for its deliciousness?

The reporter randomly interviewed several citizens buying Northeast China rice in some supermarkets in Beijing. Most people believed that Northeast China rice wins on texture, "chewy, with a unique aroma characteristic of rice." Is good texture the key to Northeast China rice's success?

Xu Jianlong, a researcher at the Institute of Crop Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, who has long been engaged in rice molecular breeding research, affirmed this answer. He explained: "Rice varieties include indica rice and japonica rice. Indica rice is suitable for planting in low-latitude, low-altitude humid and hot areas, while japonica rice is more suitable for planting at high latitudes or at high altitudes in low latitudes. In China, late-season rice in the double-season rice areas of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and areas north of the Yellow River generally plant japonica rice varieties, while southern China generally plants indica rice varieties. As for rice quality, indica rice generally has poorer stickiness and higher amylose content, and the cooked rice is relatively firm, while japonica rice has better stickiness and lower amylose content, and the cooked rice is softer. Therefore, the palatability or texture of japonica rice is generally better than that of indica rice. Northeast China rice is japonica rice, and southern rice is indica rice, so on the whole Northeast China rice tastes better than southern rice."

Variety characteristics determine texture differences. This is the first important factor, and apart from variety differences, Xu Jianlong believes that the palatability or texture of rice is also closely related to the variety and the geographical environment of the production area. "Even among japonica rice, japonica rice produced in Northeast China tastes better than japonica rice produced in the Jiangsu and Zhejiang area. This is mainly caused by differences in the climate conditions of the production areas. In Northeast China, the rice growth period is long, temperature and light are sufficient, the temperature difference between day and night is large, and the grain filling time is long and full. Coupled with Northeast China's fertile black soil, the japonica rice produced in Northeast China has a better texture."

It is understood that during the rice planting period, daytime temperatures in Northeast China are high and nighttime temperatures are low. After the temperature difference becomes large, its average temperature can be controlled at 21°C to 22°C, which is most conducive to the formation of high-quality rice varieties, while the average temperature in southern regions is above 30°C, and the quality is relatively poorer. In addition, because Northeast China has black soil, the amount of nitrogen fertilizer used is relatively lower, while nitrogen fertilizer is applied in rice production in the south, which also affects rice quality.

Future: Southern rice can also taste equally good, and functional rice may come onto the market

In fact, in the market, besides indica rice and japonica rice, we can also see some rice from indica-japonica hybridization. Xu Jianlong said: "Hybrid rice is first-generation seed produced by crossing a female sterile line with a male restorer line. Generally, whether it is indica-indica hybrid rice or japonica-japonica hybrid rice, the taste of hybrid rice is not as good as the original conventional indica rice or japonica rice. Because indica-japonica hybrid rice uses the strong heterosis between indica and japonica, its yield advantage is very obvious, but the quality of indica-japonica hybrid rice is generally relatively poor, even somewhat poorer than indica rice with poorer grain quality."

Xu Jianlong believes that rice taste varies from person to person. Generally, southerners like to eat indica rice, and northerners like to eat japonica rice. This is a habit formed over a long period. But in recent years, japonica rice planting has also shown a trend of expanding from north to south. There is also a potential trend in rice consumption, namely that people who originally liked eating indica rice, after gradually getting used to eating japonica rice, no longer want to eat indica rice; but people who originally liked eating japonica rice still want to eat japonica rice after eating indica rice. This also shows that, overall, japonica rice tastes better than indica rice.

So, is it possible for southern rice to taste as good as Northeast China rice in the future? In response, Xu Jianlong also gave an affirmative answer. He told the reporter: "Through scientific breeding of varieties, the palatability of southern indica rice has been greatly improved in recent years, such as indica-type soft rice and fragrant soft rice, whose texture is very good. With the improvement of people's living standards, people not only want to eat well, but also want to eat healthily. Rice quality improvement is also showing a diversified trend, such as breeding low-allergenicity rice to prevent allergies, diabetic rice to prevent blood sugar rise, low-phosphorus rice for renal insufficiency and prevention of osteoporosis caused by calcium deficiency, vitamin A-rich rice to prevent night blindness, and iron-rich rice with high iron content to prevent anemia, and so on, thereby providing consumers in different groups with diversified choices."

It is reported that Chinese rice experts have already achieved certain results in research on rice quality, and in the future, functional rice with better function and texture and greater health benefits will also be just around the corner.