Chongqing - Chongqing Shuihuotu Food Industry Co., Ltd. has finalized a $100 million agricultural deal with Japan’s AS Corporation, covering products such as water shield, chili peppers, and Coptis chinensis. Of this, $80 million is attributed to their water shield product, Chunxiaosi.

Water shield, also known as junsai, is a prized delicacy in Japanese cuisine. It is enjoyed in various dishes like soups and hot pots or paired with soy sauce and wasabi. This recent deal with Japan marks the largest export order for Shizhu Water Shield to date, signaling a significant shift from exporting raw materials to processed products.

Shizhu County, located in the Chongqing Wuling Mountains at 30°N latitude, is one of China's main production areas for water shield. The water shield is grown at altitudes above 1,200 meters, where the large temperature difference between day and night and summer temperatures under 28°C create the ideal conditions. 

Farmers are harvesting water shield plants. (Photo/James Li)

James Li, Chairman of Shuihuotu Food Industry, said in an exclusive interview with Bridging News on January 7 that Shizhu water shield is rich in polysaccharides and proteins, containing essential nutrients such as calcium, phosphorus, iron, and zinc. 

The texture is smooth and rounded, which aligns with Japanese dietary preferences. Water shield has long used this ingredient as a high-end food item in Italian, French, and local Japanese restaurants. 

"We successfully developed a high-temperature sterilization preservation technology for water shield and introduced the first ready-to-eat water shield product to the market," Li said, noting that this innovation was a major reason for attracting Japanese customers.

In the past, water shield preservation was achieved by using acetic acid, which required consumers to de-acidify the product themselves. This process was complicated, time-consuming, and could affect the flavor.

"Chunxiaosi" is the first domestic ready-to-eat product with a shelf life of over 180 days at room temperature. The product contains no preservatives or harmful additives, and its production processes and methods have already been patented.

The packaged water shield product, "Chunxiaosi." (Photo/James Li)

"Our product is designed in a 65g small package according to Japanese requirements," Li explained. "Through our innovative production techniques, we achieved a 360-day shelf life while retaining the freshness and nutritional value of the water shield, maintaining a clean, pure, and rounded flavor. This has earned the approval of Japanese importers."

Looking ahead, Shuihuotu Food Industry plans to design and produce more water shield products that cater to both domestic and international markets. Its collaboration with Japanese importers will deepen and become more refined.

Li said the first batch of "Chunxiaosi" orders will arrive in Japan by the end of January. Consumers will soon be able to find nutritious and delicious "Chunxiaosi" in high-end restaurants, supermarkets, and convenience stores across Japan.

Li added that Japan, as a developed country with strong consumer purchasing power, also serves as a trendsetter in global food preferences. "The introduction of 'Chunxiaosi' into the Japanese market will attract the attention of importers in other countries and stimulate demand for water shields internationally."