Consumers can find organic dry fruit as both tropical and gourmet snacks.
Every culture uses fruit and vegetable drying to sustain life during barren seasons. Today, both low-tech and high-tech processes are utilized to dry fruits. Sun drying fruit is the oldest and most low-tech option. Factory dehydration and freeze drying are high-tech and more expensive. The drying process significantly lowers the cost of shipping fruits and vegetables, according to Epa.gov. Manufacturers create many salty, sweet and natural versions of dry fruit as special treats.
Drying Processes
Today, dry fruit cultivators still use sun power to create their product. This process takes longer; it involves spreading fruit over black trays or solar collectors. Fruits like apricots, pears and dates are then exposed to the sun for several days. The dehydration process uses cycled and recycled air within a controlled environment. It utilizes kilns, cabinets and stationary towers to complete the process. The freeze drying process utilizes sub-atmospheric or vacuumed machines, such as vacuum belts or vacuum drums.
Tropical Dried Fruit
Tropically dried fruits are often mixed in with other temperate climate fruits to create snack bags. Most dried tropical fruits usually derive from the tropical zone of the equator. Although some can thrive in other climates, the majority of tropical fruit must be cultivated in hot climates. Some of the most popular tropical fruits that are dried for snacks include tamarind, mango, pomelo and breadfruit. Other popular choices include guavas, coconuts, dragonfruit, passionfruit and bananas.
Gourmet Fruit
Gourmet dried fruit is mixed with other food in a variety of ways to create nutritious snacks. Some of the most common foods that are mixed with gourmet dried fruit include dark chocolate, milk chocolate and peanuts. Some gourmet recipes call for simply covering dried fruit with sweetened chocolate. Other recipes may mix malted chocolate pieces with natural fruit and nuts. Gourmet fruit snacks may contain added salt, sugar or a combination of both. Consumers can also find dried gourmet fruit with mild or hot spices.
Organic Dried Fruit
An organic label on a dry fruit snack means that fruit and other ingredients have been grown without the use of harmful pesticides or other chemicals used to speed up the growth process. To use the term organic, manufacturers must be certified through government regulated agencies. Organic snacks can be created with any edible fruit. Consumers can purchase tropical and gourmet fruit with organic labeling.
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