“An Thịnh” is the name of a commune of Lương Tài district, Bắc Ninh province. According to elders of An Thịnh, garlic has long been adopted in the land of An Thịnh, and among them, An Trụ hamlet was the earliest. Garlic is a traditional product of An Thịnh for generations and it has a set of peculiar characteristics thanks to the unique geographical condition of the area.
An Thịnh garlic has purple stem and bulb which turn brown when dried. The weight is 13 – 15 g per bulb; diameter: 3.5 – 4.0 cm; height: 2.54 – 3.27 cm; bulb skin is thin, and the roots are short. The bulb is firm and contains 6 to 15 cloves per bulb. Edible portion is 92 – 95 %. The garlic has the specific pungent aroma.
The content of An Thịnh garlic is as followed: Allicin: 6.01 – 15.67 mg/g; raw ash: 0.8 – 1.24%; total Polyphenol: 595.15 – 755.00 mg/kg; Selenium: 648.15 - 763.60 mg/kg; total soluble dry matter (degree Brix): 21.00 – 31.80%; Vitamin C: 90.45 – 136.72 mg/kg; vaporised oil: 0.77 – 0.83%; vaporised organic phosphorus compound: 0.53 – 0.61%.
An Thịnh garlic’s peculiar characteristics are thanks to the unique geographical conditions within An Thịnh commune, Lương Tài district, Bắc Ninh province. The area has two distinctive seasons: dry season from November to March, and; rainy season from April to October. Annual average temperature is 23.4 °C, average temperature from October to March is 15 – 22 °C. The cold and dry weather in November to March is a favourable condition for the accumulation of dry matter of the garlic. The prolonged cold and dry condition contributes to the firmness and thin skin of An Thịnh garlic.
The paedology properties are the main factor, contributing to the peculiar characteristics of An Thịnh garlic. The soil in the geographical area is Cambi-Haplic Fluvisol, acidic level is low, the mechanical composition is sandy silt with good moisture retention. The value of several nutrition properties that impact the quality of the product are as followed: total protein content is within the 0.09 % – 0.12 % range, which is a favourable condition for the accumulation of allicin in the cloves. Soluble phosphorus is within the range of 48.71 – 84.8 mg/100g, soluble Potassium is within the range of 5.78 – 16.87 mg/100g, Copper content is within the range of 19.25 – 25.18 ppm, Boron content is within the range of 6.41 – 13.85 ppm. These indicators are at low and average levels and decides the high vitatmin C content in An Thịnh garlic. Manganese content of 34.15 – 52.68 ppm, combining with the soil moisture in the geographical area, are decisive to the high raw ash content of An Thịnh garlic.
In addition, traditional cultivation technique of the local farmer, the selection, use and conservation of indigenous variety, the use of organic fertilisers, no use of pesticides, manual cultivation technique as well as the experience in preserving the product post-harvest also contribute to the peculiar quality of An Thịnh garlic.