Harvesting and processing technology of Gastrodia elata

Gastrodia is a perennial parasitic herb.

1. Collection of Gastrodia elata

Asexual reproduction winter planting gastrodia elata, the following winter or spring of the third year to dig. Spring planting gastrodia elata in winter or the following spring harvest. Sowing in June of the first year of sexual reproduction and digging in November of the second year, 80% are commodities and 20% are seed hemp. Therefore, the harvest time of sexual reproduction can be determined according to the needs of production.

II. Commodity processing of Gastrodia elata

Fresh gastrodia elata begins to rot after 3- 5 days of stacking. Therefore, it is necessary to process in time. Before processing, we should first select and grade: hemp with fresh weight above 80-100g is first class;40-79% is second class; hemp with fresh weight below 40g and bruised and broken is third class. Classified cleaning, processing on the same day, otherwise it will affect the quality and medicinal value of processed goods.

After washing, gastrodia elata is graded and boiled in boiling water. 100g alum is added for every 50kg water. It should be gently stirred several times to make the heating uniform. Gastrodia elata is different in size and boiling time. The first-class hemp is boiled again for 5-8min after being put into the pot, and the following are reduced. The method to check whether it is cooked well is: the water on the surface of Tianma can be quickly lost after being picked up; there is no black heart in the hemp body when looking at the sun or light, and it is transparent; it can be smoothly inserted into the hemp body with thin bamboo. To achieve the above level should be timely out of the pot, put into the water after immersion that is taken out, to prevent over-ripe and mutual adhesion, tear skin. immediately enter a fumigation room and fumigate with sulfur for 10-12 hours to make that gastrodia elata bright and white in appearance and prevent insect and mildew.

After fumigation, it can be dried in time, dried or dried. Drying should be slow fire drying, the initial temperature control at about 50℃, after the steam is dry, can be heated to 60℃-85℃ slowly dry, to prevent the formation of hard shell due to skin moisture loss too fast, intermediate pith core. When baked seven or eighty percent dry, take it out and flatten it by hand, pile it up and cover it tightly with sacks, etc., so that it sweats for 1- 2 days, and then enter the drying room until it is completely dry. Knock each other to send out crisp sound, surface no focal spot bubble phenomenon, section white solid is better.

Commodity gastrodia elata still has to be graded according to size. And look at the color.