Did you ever wonder why dried and diced apricots come in two different colors, yellow and brown? The answer has to do with a chemical agent called sulphur dioxide. Sulphur dioxide (SO2) is a colorless gas with a strong odor. It can be generated by industrial activities such as the burning of coal or oil to produce energy. It can also be released naturally by volcanic eruptions. In the food industry, sulphur dioxide is used as a preservative to prevent the growth of bacteria or yeast as well as the browning of food. Once apricots are harvested and pitted by hand, farmers must decide whether the fruit will be treated with sulphur dioxide to preserve its yellow colour or whether it will be allowed to brown naturally.
Types :Whole, Diced
Wholesale :5kg, 10kg, 12.5 kg
Retail :Pillow, Pouch Bags, Trays
Amazon FBA :Food
Private Label :Possible
Although yellow dried apricots may seem closer to the fresh fruit, they are in fact more removed from it than brown dried apricots because they have been treated with a chemical agent. If a dried apricot is yellow in colour, it has without a doubt been treated with sulphur dioxide. As such, organic dried apricots can never be yellow.
Process of Drying with or without Sulphur
An apricot which is treated with sulphur dioxide does not undergo browning because sulphur dioxide inhibits the activity of an enzyme called polyphenol oxidase (PPO). Plants are rich in compounds called polyphenols. In the presence of polyphenols and oxygen, the polyphenol oxidase enzyme causes oxidation of polyphenols to occur, and dark pigments are generated as a result of the reaction. This reaction can be readily observed in fruits such as apricots, which are high in polyphenols. Sulphur dioxide prevents the natural browning reaction from occurring by inhibiting the polyphenol oxidase ezyme.
Cultivated since at least 3000 BC, the apricot tree was introduced to Anatolia 2500 years ago. The region’s climate and fertile soil made it particularly suitable for apricot cultivation and Anatolia has long been considered the second homeland of apricot.
CULTIVATION OF APRICOTS
Our organic apricots are cultivated in Malatya (Turkey) and are called Malatya apricots. Turkey supplies 80% of the world’s organic apricots and is the leader in the apricot market. Apricots cultivated in Turkey have a distinctive taste which differs greatly from that of apricots grown in Uzbekistan and other countries. Turkey has established a standard for apricots (TS 485) which requires Turkish government officials to check the size and quality of the fruits upon exportation. Our apricots are cultivated in fields located far from city centers without the use of chemical fertilizers. They are harvested and pitted by hand, then left to dry in the sun until they reach a brownish-black color. Our apricots are 100% organic and are not treated with sulphur dioxide.We supply diced dried Turkish apricots from certified organic suppliers based in Turkey to small shops as well as wholesalers in Turkey and to importers throughout the world. Organic apricots purchased from Costco, Walmart or Whole Foods may very well be ours.
DRIED APRICOT HARVEST
After our sun-dried apricots are fumigated with CO2, they are taken into the Izmir Organic facility for washing and callibrating. Dried apricots are washed using a specialized machine which immerses them in a water tank. Apricots are washed with clean, cold water which removes dust, soil particles and debris from the fruit surface. After washing, dried apricots are carried over by conveyor belt onto a sieve-like surface which includes holes of different sizes.
Our company offers 8 different sizes of dried apricots. To be callibrated for size, dried apricots are moved on the sieve-like surface over holes of different sizes beginning with the smallest hole and ending with the largest hole. Apricots progressively fall into the holes which correspond to their size and excess water is simultaneously removed through this sieving process.
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DRIED FRUIT PRODUCER
Izmir Organic is one of the leading dried fruit producers of Turkiye. The company is also an "Organic Dried Fruits and Nuts Manufacturer" "Organic Dried Fruits and Nuts Producer".
Izmir Organic Company can produce "Private Label Food Branding and Packing", "Custom Food Manufacturing" for your company.
FRUIT DRYING METHODS
Fruits are dried in the sun as conventional method or in an industrial oven or in a food dehydrator according to its type. Dried fruits have a long shelf life.
DOWNLOAD OUR BROCHURE
Please download our PDF BROCHURE by clicking HERE
