China clears final hurdle to imports of 'Samgyetang'

[AJU NEWS CORP DB]

South Korea's popular ginseng chicken soup Samgyetang will be available in China in the first half of this year after Beijing approved the registration of 11 Korean food processors and slaughter houses.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs disclosed the names of six slaughterhouses on Sunday : Harim, Nonghyup Moguchon, Charmfre, Sajo Fine Korea, DM Food, and Cherrybro. The five meat processing firms are Harim, Nonghyup Moguchon, Charmfre, Sajo Fine Korea, and Gyodong Food.

In an effort to meet Chinese requirements on food safety, the ministry vowed to tighten the sanitary screening of chicken meat and processing, as a new case of bird flu was reported in March, marking the first outbreak in about five months.

Exports of samgyetang were agreed at a bilateral trade meeting in November last year. China agreed to certify the safety of Korean food products if they are certified by the agriculture ministry.

Samgyetang, which uses a young chicken filled with garlic, rice, scallion and spices, ginseng and jujube, has been consumed as a healthy food on hot summer days. It has gained popularity abroad mainly through Chinese and Japanese tourists.

"Samgyetang may taste plain to some, but it's a healthy food that is especially good for those who perspire easily and have weak digestive organs," professor Yoon Sook-ja said in an article posted on the state-run Korea Tourism Organization.

Ginseng speeds up the metabolism of the body and is good for recovering from fatigue. Garlic acts as a tonic, and Chinese dates protect the stomach and also prevent anemia.

However, Yoon said people with high body temperatures or allergies should avoid the dish because it boosts body temperature.

Aju News Lim Chang-won = cwlim34@ajunews.com

Park Sae-jin swatchsjp@ajunews.com

China clears final hurdle to imports of 'Samgyetang'

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