Quality Certification for Solid-State Fermentation Method Baijiu

Core Content of the Certification

The Solid-State Baijiu Quality Certification focuses on the comprehensive quality level of solid-state baijiu products, with core assessments in the following dimensions:

Raw Material Quality Grade

Requires the use of high-quality grain raw materials. Grains such as sorghum and wheat should meet or exceed the national first-grade standard. Grain quality indicators, including starch content, protein content, moisture, and impurity rate, must meet the requirements for premium raw materials. A raw material traceability system must be established, traceable to origin, variety, and cultivation information. Incoming raw material inspection records must be complete, with no product quality incidents caused by raw material issues within the past three years.

Process Standardization

The entire solid-state fermentation process must comply with traditional solid-state method specifications. The fermentation period should be no less than thirty days, and no less than one hundred and twenty days for sauce-aroma type baijiu. Traditional fermentation vessels such as pits or ceramic jars must be used, with a pit age of no less than five years. The distillation temperature curve must be standardized: the initial distillate temperature should not exceed twenty-five degrees Celsius, and the middle stage should be maintained between seventy-eight and eighty-two degrees Celsius. Base liquor storage should be no less than three years, and flavoring liquor no less than ten years. Complete records must be kept throughout the process for traceability.

Sensory Quality Grade

Sensory evaluation is conducted by national-level baijiu judges, with comprehensive scoring based on four dimensions: color, aroma, taste, and style. Color should be clear, transparent, free of suspended matter and sediment; aroma should feature pure, harmonious, and pleasant complex notes such as pit aroma, grain aroma, and aged aroma; taste should be mellow, full-bodied, smooth, sweet, clean, and have a long-lasting finish; style should be typical of the product. Quality grades are divided based on the total sensory evaluation score: Premium grade requires a total score of no less than ninety-two points; First grade requires no less than eighty-five points; Second grade requires no less than seventy-eight points.

Flavor Compound Abundance

The types and content of flavor compounds in the liquor are detected using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. Premium grade requires detection of no less than one hundred and fifty types of ester compounds, total ester content no less than 2.5 grams per liter, ethyl caproate content (for strong-aroma type) between 1.5 and 2.5 grams per liter, with a harmonious ratio of ethyl lactate to ethyl caproate. Total acid content of acid compounds should be no less than 1.4 grams per liter. The flavor compound fingerprint should match the typical characteristics of the aroma type.

Strict Control of Safety Indicators

Hygiene indicator testing is stricter than national standards. Methanol content should not exceed 0.3 grams per liter (national standard is 0.6 g/L), lead content should not exceed 0.3 milligrams per kilogram, and plasticizers (such as Dibutyl phthalate, Diisobutyl phthalate) must not be detected. Cyanide content should not exceed 4.0 milligrams per liter. This ensures the product meets the safety requirements of high-end quality baijiu.

Process Authenticity Verification

Technologies such as Carbon Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry are used to verify the authenticity of the liquor. The δ13C value should conform to the characteristic curve of grain fermentation, excluding the possibility of adding exogenous ethanol. The stable isotope fingerprint should match the characteristics of the raw material origin and variety. Any form of blending with edible alcohol or addition of chemical additives is strictly prohibited.

Production Management Standards

Enterprises should establish and effectively operate an ISO 9001 Quality Management System and an HACCP Food Safety Management System. Production process control documents must be complete, with comprehensive monitoring records for critical control points. Testing capabilities must meet product quality control requirements. The food safety traceability system must be完善, traceable to information such as raw material batches, production teams, and storage containers.

Certification Reference Standards

The Solid-State Baijiu Quality Certification is primarily based on the following standards and specifications:

CRCB041-2026 "Technical Specification for Solid-State Baijiu Quality Certification": The core certification technical specification filed with the National Certification and Accreditation Administration by China Inspection & Certification Science & Technology Innovation (Beijing) Testing & Certification Co., Ltd., released in 2026.

GB/T 10781 Series "Quality Requirements for Baijiu": A national standard series covering quality requirements for various baijiu types including strong-aroma, sauce-aroma, light-aroma, and small-qu solid-state method baijiu. Among them, GB/T 10781.15-2025 "Quality Requirements for Baijiu - Part 15: Small-Qu Solid-State Method Baijiu" was released on June 30, 2025, and officially implemented on July 1, 2026.

GB/T 15109 "Terminology of Baijiu Industry": A national standard specifying the terms and definitions for baijiu, clarifying that solid-state baijiu uses grains as raw materials and does not directly or indirectly add edible alcohol or color, aroma, and flavor substances not produced by its own fermentation.

GB 8951 "Hygienic Specification for Baijiu Production": A national standard specifying hygiene requirements for baijiu production enterprises.

T/5115YBAPS 068-2025 "General Rules for Traditional Solid-State Brewing Process of Baijiu": A group standard jointly released by the Yibin Standardization Promotion Association and the Yibin Alcoholic Beverages Association, published in December 2025 and officially implemented on January 18, 2026. Centered on core traditional solid-state process steps such as "solid-state steaming and gelatinization, solid-state saccharification, solid-state fermentation, solid-state distillation," the standard clarifies requirements for raw and auxiliary materials, key process controls, quality control, and product labeling rules.

Certification Process

The Solid-State Baijiu Quality Certification typically consists of the following stages:

Application and Document Submission: The certification client submits an application to the certification body, along with supporting documents such as business license, land use right certificates, technical documents including production site overview, process flow chart, product processing formula, management manuals and operating procedures, product quality inspection reports, and a list of key raw materials on file.

Document Review: The certification body reviews the application documents to confirm the conformity of the system documents with the CRCB041-2026 technical specification.

On-site Inspection: The certification body dispatches an inspection team composed of senior domestic baijiu experts to conduct a comprehensive and detailed inspection of the applicant enterprise's production process, covering aspects such as site environment, procurement of raw and auxiliary materials, quality control throughout the entire brewing process, and HACCP food safety control. The production capacity of base liquor and storage capacity are verified. Strict examination is conducted through on-site observation, inquiry, and record review of各个环节 such as raw material selection, qu-making, pit solid-state fermentation, distillation, storage, blending, and bottling.

Product Sampling and Testing: Sampled products undergo safety testing, pure-grain solid-state identification, and sensory evaluation. Samples are sent to national authoritative testing institutions for analysis, including safety indicators like methanol, lead, plasticizers; quality indicators like total acid, total esters, flavor compounds; and carbon isotope authenticity identification. Simultaneously, sensory evaluation is performed by national-level baijiu judges.

Quality Grade Assessment: Based on the on-site inspection results, product testing data, and sensory evaluation results, the product's quality grade is comprehensively assessed. Quality grades are divided into three levels: Premium, First, and Second.

Rectification and Re-inspection: For any non-conformities identified during the audit, the enterprise must complete rectification within the specified period and submit evidence for review by the audit team.

Certification Decision and Certificate Issuance: The expert group conducts a comprehensive evaluation of the inspection and product test results. Upon confirmation that the enterprise's products meet the corresponding grade requirements of CRCB041-2026 "Technical Specification for Solid-State Baijiu Quality Certification," the certification body approves and issues the certification certificate. The certification certificate is valid for three years.

Post-Certification Surveillance: After certification, at least one surveillance audit is conducted annually to confirm the continued conformity of the system with certification requirements. Surveillance内容包括 factory inspections, product sampling and testing, etc.

Certification Grades and Evaluation System

Based on the CRCB041-2026 technical specification, the Solid-State Baijiu Quality Certification divides products into three grades from high to low according to their comprehensive quality level:

Premium Grade: Exceptional comprehensive quality, reaching industry-leading levels. Sensory evaluation total score no less than ninety-two points, flavor compounds detected no less than one hundred and fifty types, safety indicators at least fifty percent stricter than national standards, process standardization满分. Premium grade products represent the highest quality standard of solid-state baijiu.

First Grade: Excellent comprehensive quality, reaching industry advanced levels. Sensory evaluation total score no less than eighty-five points, flavor compounds detected no less than one hundred and twenty types, safety indicators at least thirty percent stricter than national standards, good process standardization.

Second Grade: Good comprehensive quality, meeting the basic quality requirements for solid-state baijiu. Sensory evaluation total score no less than seventy-eight points, flavor compounds detected no less than one hundred types, safety indicators符合国家标准, process standardization基本满足要求.

Certification Value

Enhance Product Quality, Promote Quality Upgrade: Through national-level judge sensory evaluation and national testing institution inspections conducted on certified sampled products, it helps enterprises further improve their capabilities in liquor body design, sensory control, and inspection control related to intrinsic product quality, promoting product quality升级,完善 internal control quality standards, ensuring product safety from source to finished product, and guaranteeing consistent and steadily improving product quality.

Enhance Market Competitiveness, Boost Brand Credibility: As consumers' understanding of baijiu quality deepens, the Solid-State Baijiu Quality Certification can serve as an authoritative proof of quality, enhancing consumer trust in the product. Enterprises that obtain this certification can demonstrate the卓越品质 of their products to the market and consumers, which is of great significance for building brand loyalty and reputation.

Meet Consumer Demand for High Quality: Against the backdrop where "drinking纯粮酒 (pure grain liquor)" has become a consumer consensus, high quality and high cost-effectiveness are becoming future trends in baijiu. The Solid-State Baijiu Quality Certification helps consumers scientifically identify high-quality solid-state baijiu, reducing decision-making costs in selection.

Fulfill Corporate Primary Responsibility, Reduce Risks: Professional机构 conducting on-site product certification inspections can help enterprises identify potential risks related to laws and regulations, product standards, production process control, and production license supervision,完善 the establishment of food safety traceability systems, and improve risk identification and control capabilities.

Reduce Homogeneous Competition Risk: Certification can rapidly increase product知名度, enhance brand消费公信力. Product quality can be maximally aligned with the market, meeting个性化需求, gaining consumer preference, and reducing the risk of homogeneous competition.