The Hualien District Agricultural Research and Extension Station said it has developed kumquat processing techniques that can preserve the fresh flavor and color of the fruit in purees and syrups without food additives.
The station made the announcement at a news conference in Taipei yesterday to officially license the techniques to the Jiaosi Township Farmers’ Association.
Kumquat has a total planting area of 272 hectares nationwide, with annual production of about 1,756 tonnes.
Photo: Wang Chun-chi, Taipei Times
Up to 198 hectares of planting areas, or nearly 90 percent, are in Yilan County, with Jiaosi (礁溪) and Yuanshan (員山) townships as the two major production areas.
Harvested mainly in winter from November to February every year, the fruit is popular during the Lunar New Year in Taiwan, given its auspicious appearance and attached connotations.
Kumquats have a short shelf life and were mostly processed into dried or candied kumquats to preserve them.
The new processing techniques focus on kumquat puree and syrup, station assistant researcher Chen Bo-han (陳柏翰) said.
Purees and syrups have great market potential, as they can be widely used in food and beverages, he said.
The techniques preserve the fruit’s color and flavor without any food additives, Chen said.
The station is also exploring methods to process kumquats into baking ingredients and other applications in cooking, he added.
The station’s processing techniques overcame seasonal limitations, making the fresh taste of kumquats available year-round, Chen said, adding that it is expected to boost kumquats’ output value by four to five times.
Kumquat purees have a distinctive aroma from the fruit peel, while kumquat syrups are amber colored, which differentiates it from regular brown syrup, Chen said.
Kumquats are also nutritious, as they are rich in vitamin C, flavonoids and dietary fibers, he said.
Station Director Yang Ta-chi (楊大吉) said kumquat is the only citrus fruit that could be eaten whole.
The station, along with the Ministry of Agriculture, seeks to promote kumquat locally and internationally, he said, adding that processing technology is indispensable to the effort.
Preserving the fruit’s original color and flavor is the key and requires advanced techniques, Yang said.
The techniques would also be applied to the kumquat popsicles produced at the Jian Township Farmers’ Association’s ice treat factory.
Jian Township Farmers’ Association director-general Chang Te-chi (張德奇) said that while most fruit popsicles, such as pineapple or banana popsicles, are made with milk, their kumquat popsicles use yogurt as base ingredient.
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