息县香稻丸是我县独特的名优产品,有着悠久的历史,据民间传说,神农氏的小女儿路经息县夏庄南张庄时,撒下一把稻谷,当年收后,米香溢人,被一老农收藏于次年种植,繁衍至今。又相传南海观世音菩萨应西天如来佛祖之约到天庭讲学,在路过河南息县的时候打个喷嚏,结果把宝瓶中的万种之种的香米稻种打到了凡间。据文献记载,香稻丸早在宋朝时就已有种植,明、清作为宫延贡品,《中国外食指南》、《河南年鉴》、信阳《土特产调查》中均有息县香稻丸的记载。
1914年曾在美国旧金山多国商品赛会上展销。息县香稻丸色彩青白如珍珠,香气馥郁,素有“一块稻香满坡,一撮米香满锅,一碗饭香满桌”的美称。煮粥蒸饭时只需加少许的“息县香稻丸”稻米,则香溢满屋,沁人肺腑,食味香美,诱人增欲。由于息县香稻丸具有很强的区域性,产量极为有限,所以显得极为珍贵,通常人们作为调味品(佐料)食用。息县香稻丸不仅有其特有的香味和品质,而且有医疗保健作用。息县香稻丸营养丰富,含有大量多种维生素,其中维生素E含量达到 0.22mg/100g;除此之外,还含有维生素A、B1、B2;蛋白质含量为9.44%,除含有大量多种维生素和蛋白质外,含有多种营养元素和多种氨基酸,其中:磷460mg/100g、钾339.74 mg/100g、镁140.04mg/100g、钙7.32mg/100g。特别是硒的含量也达到0.116mg/100g,明显高于其它稻米的含量;氨基酸总含量达到9.92%,其中:谷氨酸最高达1.72%,其次天门冬氨酸达0.91%。由于息县香稻丸含有大量的蛋白南、维生素和多种氨基酸及营养元素,能增强人体的抵抗力,改善新陈代谢,是传统滋补佳品,2004年底被国家质检总局原地标记注册(注册证号为:0000296)息县香稻丸稻米生产严格按照无公害稻米生产标准,产品规格为:100克/袋、250克/袋、500克/袋、1000克/袋和2500克/袋共五种,采用内塑外纸箱包装,以保持原有的香味和品质。
Xixian Fragrant Rice
Xixian Fragrant Rice has a very long cultivating history. It has ever been regarded as tribute in Ming and Qing Dynasty and has participated goods competition in L.A, America in 1914. This fragrant rice contains amount of proteins and vitamins, which has the medical functions of strengthening physique, modifying metabolism, helping cure Sepsis, hypersensitivity disease, acute and chronic infections as complementary medicine, helpful for the blood pressure and heart-disease patients. Rice soup made by Fragrant Rice, polished round-grained rice, lotus nuts and red dates is an extremely good tonic food. Furthermore, the tribute wine in Xixian County made by this fragrant rice is much mellow, thick and delicious.