Ginger Root

Ginger root, known scientifically as Zingiber officinale, is a popular ingredient in many dishes from around the world and is not only delicious, but has numerous health benefits. But just how does a ginger root, from the ground up, reach a diner’s plate? Let’s explore the steps involved in this process.

Ginger as a Crop

Ginger is one of the many spices grown in the world, and generally requires warm, humid conditions to grow. Ginger is actually a rhizome, which is an underground, horizontally growing stem with nodes that produce roots and shoots. In the case of ginger, this node is where the ginger root will sprout from. This rhizome is able to survive given enough nutrients in the soil, and is planted usually including a bud that sprouts into a small plant.

The stages of growth for ginger are relatively short, as with two and a half months as compared to more than a year for many other crops, it is able to be harvested and taken to market quickly. As long as the environment is suitably warm, the ginger will have a successful rate of growth and production. That being said, after weeks of growing, the flowering stage of ginger will begin to emerge. In this stage, the flowering stalk will emerge from the leaves of the ginger plants and flowers will form. The flowers will then detach from the stalk in order to pollinate and form new seeds.

Harvesting and Processing

At this point, the ginger is ready to be harvested. Harvesting ginger occurs when it is in the right state, which is usually when the leaves begin to wither and the stalk is starting to dry up. At this point, the ginger is around 8-10 months old and considering that it was originally planted as a rhizome, it should have formed into a reasonably large ginger clump with plenty of rootlets surrounding it.

The harvesting of ginger is conducted by hand, and it is a tedious process. Typically, the roots will be gathered from the surface and then dug up, either manually or sometimes with a hoe. Once the ginger has been dug up, the root pieces, or “hands”, will be separated from the plant and the excess dirt will be shaken off.

It is at this stage that the root pieces need to be dried, which can take around 24 hours in order to maintain their optimal quality. After drying, additional processes occur to separate the smaller parts, such as sizing and sorting, in order to make them easier to handle and transport. Sizing the ginger root is done in order to remove the younger pieces, as they are not as flavorful or as durable, and to identify any roots that may be overripe.

Once the root pieces have been sized and sorted, they are then stored in facilities where they will be further processed. In the processing industry, the ginger root is cut or ground into different sizes of slices or powders. This allows for the ginger to be prepared for different culinary needs, either for cooking a dish directly or for baking applications. Fresh ginger is often preferred over processed ginger due to its stronger flavor and aroma, however depending on the application, some people may opt for the pre-processed ginger.

Distribution and Packaging

After the processing of the ginger, it is then packaged for distribution and shipped to its destination. Packaging tends to differ depending on the needs and requirements of the customer but can range from vacuum sealed bags, plastic containers, cartons, crates, or even wooden pallets.

In recent years, due to advances in technology, the shipping and transport of ginger has become much faster. For example, the use of insulated containers and refrigerated containers now allow fresh ginger to be shipped to parts of the world where it may not have been possible before. This has helped the market for ginger become more widely accessible, which helps the supply chain extensively with improved delivery and high quality produce.

Ginger as an Ingredient

Now that we’ve discussed how the ginger root is grown, harvested, and processed, let’s look at how it is used in the kitchen. Ginger is widely used throughout cooking as an ingredient in both main dishes and desserts. It can be used in many forms such as raw, crystallized, dried, ground, or in oil or pickled form.

When using ginger in the kitchen, it is important to note that there are some major differences between fresh and dried ginger. Fresh ginger is known for its stronger flavor and aroma, and has different culinary uses from its dried counterpart. For example, fresh ginger is mostly used to flavor dishes such as curries, marinades, desserts, and sauces. On the other hand, dried ginger is less intense and is better suited to baking applications like mincemeat, gingerbread, biscuits, and cakes.

Conclusion

It is no surprise that ginger is one of the most widely used ingredients in cooking. In order for a ginger root to reach your dinner plate, it takes a special and intricate process. From the moment it is planted until it leaves the processor, there are numerous steps that are taken in order to ensure that the ginger is of optimal quality when it arrives to the customer. Now the next time you bite into that delicious piece of gingerbread, you can appreciate not only the flavor, but acknowledge the effort that went into producing it.