Pure Grain Solid-State Fermentation Liquor Certification

Core Content of the Certification

The Pure Grain Solid-State Fermented Baijiu Certification focuses on the pure grain solid-state brewing process and product quality of baijiu, with core assessments in the following dimensions:

The "Purity Principle" of Raw Materials

Mandatory clauses require the use of 100% grain raw materials, such as sorghum, wheat, etc., prohibiting substitute raw materials like tubers. The grain-to-koji ratio must not be less than 1:0.2, which can be relaxed to 1:0.18 for northern Daqu. Innovation requirements include establishing a raw material traceability system, requiring three years of grain purchase records; heavy metal detection indicators are 20% stricter than national standards, e.g., lead not exceeding 0.3 mg/kg. Raw and auxiliary materials should be products produced by enterprises with production licenses, and relevant copies of production licenses should be obtained, verified, and retained. Brewing water must comply with the provisions of the GB 5749 standard.

The "Space-Time Code" of the Process

The iron rule of solid-state fermentation requires a fermentation cycle of no less than 30 days, and no less than 120 days for Jiangxiang (sauce-aroma) type. Traditional fermentation pits must be used, with a pit age of no less than five years; stainless steel tanks are prohibited for fermentation. Key control points include monitoring the temperature curve during distillation: the temperature of the initial distillate should not exceed 25°C, and the middle stage should be maintained between 78-82°C; base liquor storage should be no less than three years, and flavoring liquor no less than ten years. Jiangxiang type baijiu follows the "12987" Kunsha process: one-year production cycle, two rounds of grain feeding, nine rounds of steaming, eight rounds of fermentation, and seven rounds of liquor extraction. It employs the "Four Highs, Two Longs, One Large, One Many" process: high-temperature koji making (koji temperature exceeding 64°C), high-temperature stacking (50-52°C), high-temperature fermentation (42-48°C), high-temperature liquor flowing; long production cycle, long storage time; large koji dosage; multiple rounds of fermentation.

The "Absolute Ban" on Additives

The zero-tolerance list includes: edible alcohol (industrial alcohol with ethanol purity not less than 95%), any chemically synthesized substances (including sweeteners, colorants, plasticizers). Natural plant extracts such as bamboo leaf extract are allowed for liquor color adjustment. Solid-state baijiu must not add edible alcohol or color, aroma, and flavor substances not produced by its own fermentation.

Production Process Quality Control

Based on GB/T 23544 "Good Manufacturing Practice for Baijiu Enterprises", comprehensive and detailed inspections are conducted on aspects such as raw and auxiliary material procurement, full-process quality control of the brewing process, and HACCP food safety control. This includes koji-making and brewing process control, base liquor storage management, blending and bottling process control, verification of base liquor production capacity and storage capacity, etc. The inspection team conducts rigorous and detailed all-around verification from multiple aspects including raw and auxiliary grain production, koji-making and brewing processes, base liquor storage management, blending, finished product quality, and original documentation, by inspecting production sites and reviewing system documents and production records.

Product Testing and Sensory Evaluation

Safety testing, pure grain solid-state identification, and sensory evaluation are performed on sampled products. Pure grain solid-state identification verifies the authenticity of the liquor through technologies like carbon isotope testing. Sensory evaluation is conducted by national-level baijiu judges to assess whether the product meets the high-quality requirements of pure grain solid-state fermented baijiu. Flavor substance testing detects no less than 150 types of ester compounds through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. Isotope traceability requires the carbon-13 value to conform to the characteristic curve of grain fermentation. Hygiene indicator testing ensures compliance with food safety standards.

Microbiological Testing and Fermentation Pit Management

On-site verification includes microbiological testing: the content of caproic acid bacteria in pit mud should not be less than 10^7 CFU per gram. Process traceability requires randomly selecting a batch of base liquor from a previous year to verify against production logs. The number and volume of fermentation pits should match the declared production capacity.

Certification Reference Standards

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

CTS CRCB024-2026 "Technical Specification for Certification of Pure Grain Solid-State Fermented Baijiu": The certification technical specification filed by CCSTC (Beijing) Testing & Certification Co., Ltd. with the National Certification and Accreditation Administration. It is the core basis for the Pure Grain Solid-State Fermented Baijiu Certification, updated in 2026.

GB/T 15109 "Terminology of Baijiu Industry": National standard that specifies 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/T 10781 Series "Quality Requirements for Baijiu": National standard series, including quality requirements for Nongxiang (strong-aroma), Jiangxiang (sauce-aroma), Qingxiang (light-aroma) and other types of baijiu. GB/T 10781.4-2024 "Quality Requirements for Baijiu - Part 4: Jiangxiang Type Baijiu" will be implemented in June 2025, specifying pure grain solid-state fermentation requirements, stipulating that premium grade liquor must have a total acid content not less than 1.4 g/L and total ester content not less than 2.2 g/L.

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

GB/T 23544 "Good Manufacturing Practice for Baijiu Enterprises": National standard specifying good operating practices for baijiu enterprise production.

Certification Process

The Pure Grain Solid-State Fermented Baijiu Certification is typically divided into the following stages:

Pre-qualification Review: Submit production records, quality inspection reports, and environmental compliance certificates from the past three years. Factory hardware review includes verifying that the number and volume of fermentation pits match the declared production capacity. Submitted application materials include business license, land use right certificates, and other qualification documents, as well as production process descriptions, product testing reports, etc.

On-site Verification: The certification body dispatches a team of senior domestic experts in the baijiu field to form an inspection team. They conduct comprehensive and detailed inspections of the applicant enterprise's production process, covering aspects such as factory site environment, raw and auxiliary material procurement, full-process quality control of the brewing process, and HACCP food safety control. Base liquor production capacity and storage capacity are verified. Microbiological testing requires caproic acid bacteria content in pit mud to be no less than 10^7 CFU per gram. Process traceability involves randomly selecting a batch of base liquor from a previous year to verify against production logs.

Product Sampling and Testing: Safety testing, pure grain solid-state identification, and sensory evaluation are performed on sampled products. Flavor substance testing detects no less than 150 types of ester compounds through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. Isotope traceability requires the carbon-13 value to conform to the characteristic curve of grain fermentation.

Certification Result Evaluation and Approval: The expert group conducts a comprehensive evaluation of the inspection results and product test results. After confirming that the enterprise meets the requirements of the "Technical Specification for Certification of Pure Grain Solid-State Fermented Baijiu", the results are reported to the certification body for approval and issuance of the certification certificate.

Post-Certification Supervision: Two unannounced inspections per year, focusing on auxiliary material warehouses and blending workshops. If market sampling inspection fails, the certification is immediately revoked, and reapplication is not allowed for three years. If product sampling after certification fails, the certification body will revoke the certificate and issue an announcement.

Certification Value

Implementing Enterprise Primary Responsibility, Reducing Risks: Conducting product certification on-site inspections through professional institutions can help enterprises identify potential risks related to laws and regulations, product standards, production process control, and production license supervision, and improve the establishment of a food safety traceability system. Certification standardizes production, operation, and service process control, enhancing the level of risk identification and management.

Enhancing Product Quality, Promoting Quality Upgrading: Through sensory evaluation by national-level judges and testing by national-level inspection agencies on certified sampled products, enterprises are helped to further improve their capabilities in liquor body design, sensory control, and inspection control related to the intrinsic quality of products, promoting product quality upgrading, improving internal control quality standards, and ensuring product safety from source to final product, guaranteeing consistent and steadily improving product quality.

Enhancing Market Competitiveness, Boosting Brand Credibility: As consumers pay increasing attention to food safety and quality, the Pure Grain Solid-State Fermented Baijiu Certification can serve as a quality assurance, enhancing consumer trust in the liquor. This is significant for building brand loyalty and reputation. Enterprises that obtain this certification need to strictly manage according to national requirements during production and sales and accept supervision from relevant departments, which can help shape a good corporate image, promote high-quality development of the enterprise, and enhance brand value.

Meeting New National Standard Compliance Requirements: On June 1, 2022, the new national standards for baijiu, "Terminology of Baijiu Industry" and "Terminology and Classification of Alcoholic Beverages", were officially implemented, stipulating that solid-state baijiu must not add edible alcohol or color, aroma, and flavor substances not produced by its own fermentation. Certification ensures product compliance with the new national standards, avoiding compliance risks arising from standard changes.

Reducing Homogenization Competition Risks: Certification can rapidly further enhance product awareness. Product quality can be maximally aligned with the market, meeting personalized market demands, gaining consumer preference, and reducing homogenization competition risks.