"We came to China to seek business opportunities and cooperation based on the advantages of China's edible cactus industry development." Margarita Garcí a de Alba, president of the Mexican cactus and cactus fruit promotion association, admitted.
Margarita Garcia de Alba and her party visited Shanghai Shangyuan Industrial Group (formerly Anhui Bozhou Xingbang Technology Development Co., Ltd.) in Beijing, and were very excited and surprised to learn about the types and sales of edible cactus products. "Although cactus has not been introduced to China for a long time, China's research and development work has far surpassed other countries, even surpassing Mexico, the country of origin of cactus."
Mexican guests are very envious of the technology that China-related enterprises have successfully mastered in processing cosmetics, washing products and fruit wine with cactus. "This is not available in our country. We are very interested in in in-depth discussion and common development of this industry."
"America's magic plants"
Mexico has unique cactus resources. It is estimated that there are more than 1000 species of cactus in Mexico, accounting for half of all cactus species; At present, Mexico accounts for 2/3 of more than 40 endangered cactus plants identified by relevant international organizations. From primitive species to highly evolved species, from tall columnar species to small spherical species, from spectacular spiny giant balls to beautiful flowering epiphytes, we can all find traces in Mexico.
In Mexico, the annual planting area of edible cactus is increasing year by year, and the hectares of edible cactus are more than the national population. Food, beverage, cosmetics, health care products, etc. The development of cactus as raw material has become a major industry exported to the international market. Under the influence of Mexican living habits, edible cactus began to be popular in North and South America, and then began to sell well in the whole European and American markets. Therefore, cactus fruits and vegetables are not only indispensable special fruits and vegetables in the daily life of Mexican people, but also have a considerable number of consumers in many countries in North America, Latin America and even Europe, Africa and Asia.
"The United Mexican States has a deep relationship with cactus, and its dependence and development and utilization have a long history." Gerardo Cigarroa del Bosque, vice chairman of Mexican cactus and cactus fruit professional committee, said that according to the Mexican encyclopedia, the utilization of cactus by Indians can be traced back to 9,000 years ago, when an important part of indigenous culture was to fully understand and use cactus as food and medicine.
It is reported that as early as 10 century, Mexican ancestors began to use cactus to make carmine dye, which was used for dyeing cloth, painting murals and making food pigments. Since ancient times, Indians have used cacti as fences to raise livestock. In the period of Mexican independence war, reform and revolution, Mexicans have always regarded cactus as an important food and medicine, which has been recorded in detail in Encyclopedia of Mexico and many historical materials.
Today, cactus has become a national symbol of Mexico and an important part of Mexican culture. Wherever Mexicans go, they will carry some cactus-patterned decorations and souvenirs with them. These gifts are very distinctive, whether stationery or decorations, or even crutches have the image of cactus. Even American cartoons regard cactus as a symbol of Mexico, and cactus is an inseparable part of Mexican life.
"Green gold" full of treasures
Edible cactus is a kind of treasure, which is called "green gold" and "American magic plant". It has a wide range of uses, from medicine and food to beauty. It not only has unique ornamental value and high economic value of vegetables, fruits, feed, medicine and health care, but also has many functions such as soil and water conservation and environmental protection.
Mexican cactus cultivation is mainly concentrated in Mibangta area, where the land is acidic, located in semi-arid and semi-humid subtropical zone, with mild climate and spring-like seasons. Edible cactus is not restricted by climate here, and can be produced all year round, a bit like leek. After being planted by the female parent,/kloc-0 can be continuously produced for 5 to 20 years. No wonder Mexicans call eating cactus "green gold".
Studies by National Autonomous University of Mexico and Chapin Autonomous University (Agriculture) show that cactus is one of the few completely nutritious plants so far. The tender leaves and roots of edible cactus contain 18 kinds of amino acids and various trace elements, mainly including iron, calcium, potassium, zinc, magnesium and phosphorus, as well as vitamins B 1, B2 and carotene. The unique cactus has obvious curative effect on patients with diabetes, high cholesterol and hyperlipidemia, and also has the functions of invigorating stomach and spleen, clearing away heat and toxic materials.
In Mexico, the varieties cultivated in agriculture are mainly edible cactus in Mibangta area, which has been cultivated and domesticated by Mexicans since 1940s. It is reported that this kind of Mibangta edible cactus, named after its origin, is a new vegetable with high calcium, high flavonoids, high polysaccharide, low sodium and no oxalic acid, and is known as the green natural food of 2 1 century. It can not only be eaten directly as a vegetable, but also be processed into a variety of health products, and it is also the first-class raw material for making canned food, drinks and wine.
Cactus is not only widely eaten by Mexicans, but also an indispensable delicacy in Mexican daily food. From the president's ministers to the common people, everyone eats cactus every day. Mexican cactus and its products, including cactus food, health care products, cactus wine, cosmetics and medicines, are exported to developed countries such as the United States, Japan and South Korea all the year round.
At present, edible cactus cultivated by artificial hybridization is planted in Latin America, Europe, Asia, Africa and North America. The development of edible cactus in the world has entered the stage of systematic, large-scale and commercial industrialization. Seven series of seed chips, fresh-keeping vegetables, beverages, canned foods, cosmetics, health products and medicines have been initially formed, which have become green, healthy and eye-catching new functional vegetables and functional health foods, and have had a positive impact on the world vegetable market, food market and drug market.
Cactus industry is in the ascendant in China.
In China, only Yunnan, Sichuan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan and other places have wild cactus, and the use of cactus in China began to be used for medicine. According to "Compendium of Materia Medica" written by Zhao Xuemin in Qing Dynasty, cactus tastes light and cold, and has the functions of promoting qi circulation and blood circulation, clearing away heat and toxic materials, relieving swelling and pain, invigorating spleen and stopping diarrhea, calming the nerves and inducing diuresis. It can treat many diseases for internal and external use. According to Guizhou folk prescription and drug collection, cactus is a tonic for nourishing the stomach, and can also strengthen the spleen, relieve cough and soothe the nerves, and treat heartburn, snake injury and edema.
However, in recent years, the development and introduction of edible cactus has gradually flourished, and the cactus covered with treasures has gradually been recognized and utilized by Chinese people. Since 1998, China's Ministry of Agriculture has set up a special project (one of the national 948 projects) to introduce cactus plants from Mexico and plant them in Beijing, Sichuan, Yunnan, Guangdong and Guangxi. During this period, the Ministry of Agriculture sent six delegations to Mexico to inspect the local cactus production and cultivation, and invited Mexican cactus experts to hold cactus cultivation training courses in China for on-site guidance.
It is worth mentioning that the edible cactus varieties imported from Mibangta, Mexico, were introduced, demonstrated, popularized and applied by the Development and Service Center of Quality Agricultural Products of the Ministry of Agriculture, and were analyzed and verified by nutrition experts in China. It is a new healthy vegetable variety suitable for planting and popularization in China. Rich in minerals, vitamins, carotene, trace elements and amino acids, it has the effects of lowering blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol, and the demand is in short supply as soon as it is listed.
From June 65438 to June 0998, the inspection report of Institute of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine showed that opuntia milpa alta was rich in protein, minerals, vitamins, carotene and 18 amino acids.
1In July, 1999, the Germplasm Improvement Laboratory of National Vegetable System Engineering Technology Research Center pointed out: "Opuntia milpa alta is rich in nutrient elements such as potassium, calcium, copper, iron, manganese and strontium, while the content of heavy metal elements such as sodium ion is low, and it does not contain oxalic acid. At first glance, flavonoids (rutin and quercetin) are seen, so it is a vegetable with development potential." The pharmaceutical research report of the Institute of Medicinal Plants of China Academy of Medical Sciences pointed out: "The Mexican cactus varieties introduced from China have a certain hypoglycemic effect, and have obvious effects on lowering blood cholesterol and triglycerides."
In 2003, cactus and mung bean fans jointly developed and produced by Anhui Xingbang Science and Technology Development Co., Ltd., Anhui College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Anhui Agricultural University, Beijing Medical University, Jinan Fruit Research Institute of China Supply and Marketing Corporation and other institutions of higher learning and scientific research won the gold medal of Hong Kong International Patent and Technology Expo.
From June 5 to February 5, 2006, under the auspices of Professor Mei Fangquan, executive deputy director of the National Food and Nutrition Advisory Committee, experts in agriculture, food processing, food safety and nutrition conducted a rigorous examination of the results of the dry powder inspection report of cactus (cactus Mibangta imported from Mexico by the National 948 Project) developed and produced by Shanghai Shangyuan Industrial Group (formerly Anhui Bozhou Xingbang Technology Development Co., Ltd.).
Experts attending the meeting agreed that the test results of "Institute of Nutrition and Food Safety of China Center for Disease Control and Prevention" showed that "cactus dry powder" was rich in calcium (≥ 4.24 g/ 100g), iron (16.9g/ 100g) and dietary fiber (39.6g/ 100g). After acute virus type test, three genetic virus types test, 90-day feeding test, rat teratogenesis test and hygiene test, no abnormality was found. Combined with the lack of calcium, iron and dietary fiber in the dietary structure of Chinese residents, cactus dry powder can be popularized and applied as a new food resource with good dietary balance. Professor Zhai, deputy director of the Institute of Nutrition and Food Safety of China Center for Disease Control and Prevention and secretary-general of China Nutrition Society, announced the achievement at the seminar on nutritional value and application of edible cactus in Mibangta and the welcome meeting of Mexican business delegation to China held on February 5, 65438.
It takes time to "fly into the homes of ordinary people"
"From the perspective of consumption and industrial development, the cactus project has great potential and promising prospects." Relevant leaders of the Ministry of Agriculture are very optimistic about the cactus industry.
At present, delicious cactus noodles, vermicelli, vegetable juice, fruit wine, candied fruit and even pickles have appeared in the market one after another. Cactus series dishes, fruit wine, liquor, beverages, noodles, cactus health products, cactus series cosmetics, etc. It has also become the consumption fashion of some fashionable young and middle-aged women.