Osmanthus harvesting and processing technology
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Osmanthus flowering is a brief period, typically lasting only 4 to 5 days. To ensure high-quality products and optimal yield, timely harvesting is essential. In a particular region, different varieties of osmanthus bloom at different times, and even within the same variety, the blooming period can vary from year to year due to changes in weather conditions. Therefore, it is recommended to pick the flowers within 3 to 4 days after they have bloomed to maintain quality and productivity.
The picking method involves first bending the branches before collecting the flowers. Drooping branches should be removed, following the principle of "see five stay five," meaning that for every three branches, one or two should be cut, known as "interval to stay in the head." This practice helps promote new growth for the next season's flowering. When picking, care must be taken with both the branches and the flowers. Start from the outside and move inward, picking from the bottom up. After collection, the flowers are placed in a cool, shaded area under trees, with a pile thickness not exceeding 10 cm. The way of picking directly affects the number of flower heads. The first harvest accounts for about 20% of the entire tree, and it is advisable to cover the area under the tree with plastic film during flowering to prevent loss due to falling petals. More than 80% of the flower heads should be picked on time, and shaking the flowers is strictly prohibited.
Once collected, the flowers are often concentrated in the market during peak season, making it difficult to transport them to processing plants immediately. To prevent spoilage, temporary measures include removing leaves and debris, then placing the flowers in baskets or wooden barrels that have been moistened with clean water. Covering them with clean wet gauze and transporting them promptly to the plant is crucial. Alternatively, flowers can be soaked in river or well water and stored for no more than two hours.
For long-term preservation, the plum sauce method is commonly used. Take 100 kg of cooked plum fruit and 20 kg of salt, place them in a tank, and let them soak for a month. Afterward, crush the plum fruit (along with the brine) using a beater, filter out the kernels, and expose the flesh to sunlight for 10 days until it turns from green to yellow. Once the plum sauce becomes yellow-brown, seal the jar. After harvesting osmanthus, wash it thoroughly in clean water, remove impurities, and mix 100 kg of flowers with 20-40 kg of plum sauce. Stir well, let it sit for 12 hours, remove the brine, and press the mixture into a cylinder. Add 25 kg of salt per 100 kg of plum sauce, layer the flowers tightly, cover the top with a layer of salt, and use a white cloth to cover it. Finally, compact the layers with bamboo to prevent the osmanthus from floating.
Another preservation method uses salt or alum. Crush the salt or alum into fine powder, wash and dry the container. Mix 100 kg of flowers with 10 kg of alum or 20 kg of salt, alternating layers of flowers and preservatives, and compact each layer. Cover with straw and close the lid. These methods are suitable for mass production and can preserve the color, fragrance, and taste of the flowers for up to three years, allowing for easy processing into various products at any time.
A simpler preservation technique involves mixing 10 kg of osmanthus with 0.15 kg of citric acid, stirring evenly, and letting it sit for 12 hours. Filter the brine, add 1.8 kg of salt and 0.05 kg of alum, and seal the container. This method can preserve the flowers for one year.
To wash osmanthus, use an alum solution, remove excess water, and add twice the weight of sugar relative to the flowers. A small amount of salt can be added to seal the mixture. Alternatively, wash the flowers with water, mix them with 5 parts salt, stir well, add 0.6–0.75 parts alum, and keep it sealed.
For processing, take the osmanthus sauce, squeeze out the marinade, rinse with water to remove saltiness, and dry it partially. Then, mix with white sugar 2–3 times, producing either disaccharide-gui or trisaccharide-gui.
Place the osmanthus in a sieve, filter the marinade, and put it into a tank. Mix 55 kg of plum sauce osmanthus with 45 kg of plum sauce, add 200 kg of granulated sugar, stir until dissolved, and serve as sweet-scented osmanthus sugar sauce. The same method can be used to make salty osmanthus by adding only 15% salt instead of 35% plum sauce. Additionally, plum sauce osmanthus can be poured into meilu (a process used in making plum sauce, where salted plum fruit is soaked in clear water).