Cold storage proves a tonic for Henan's crimson berries

One afternoon last month, as workers at Linshuo Traditional Chinese Medicine Specialized Cooperative meticulously went through the process of peeling, pitting, sorting and sun-drying fresh Cornus officinalis berries (also known as Japanese cornelian cherries), the sight appeared unusual for mid-summer as the fruit is usually ripe for harvest in fall.

The fact is, the berries were not freshly picked but freshly retrieved from their refrigerated sanctuary, an effort intensified by growers in Miping town in Xixia county, Henan province, to better sustain the area's specialized pharmaceutical industry.

Cornus officinalis is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine, or TCM, as a tonic and has been recognized for its beneficial pharmacological effects on the reproductive system.