Dried Apricots: The Golden Snack Ace

More versatile than a Swiss Army knife: a snack, superfood, sweet symbol of fertility and beauty – these are just a few of the things apricots are known for. Before these golden treasures make their way into your Seeberger snack pack, they start as juicy fruits in a place where tradition and nature exist in perfect harmony. Ready to trace the roots of your favorite snack stars?

Anna Moscagiuri

18.04.2024

in #Produkt-Stories

Lesedauer: 5 Minuten

A Scene Like No Other

In the heart of Eastern Anatolia's Malatya landscape, an endless expanse of fertile fields stretches out. Here, the sun shines from dawn to dusk, a sweet scent sways the fields in a steady rhythm, and time seems to stand still – ideal conditions for growing top-quality fruits. This Turkish region is the heart of apricot culture: an astounding 90% of the world's harvest comes from the orchards surrounding this area. This is no coincidence – these small fruits are much more than just a snack here. They're icons of the region and fundamental cultural heritage – literally deeply rooted and refined through centuries-old tradition.

Early Risers with a Plan

When other fruit trees slowly begin to wake from their winter slumber around March, the apricot tree is already in full bloom and ready for the approaching summer. The light pink to vibrant pink blossoms even appear before the tree's leaves. This is pretty smart, as apricots love warmth, and the fruits enjoy every ray of sunshine during their growth phase – the earlier they start ripening, the longer their summer lasts.

Productive Loners

Accordingly, most apricot varieties don't wait around for insects. As self-pollinators, they can fast-track the pollination process, not needing pollen from other apricot trees to produce fruit. This works because each tree carries both male and female reproductive organs in its blossoms. Fertilization often happens through pollen transfer within the same flower or from flower to flower on the same tree. That's why even solitary trees in gardens or fields can bear fruit. Still, cross-pollination with foreign pollen significantly boosts both the quantity and quality of the harvest – a process that occurs naturally in the orchards.

Glow in apricot

Once the apricot trees have given their all, the harvest begins – a rhythmic shaking of branches releases the ripe fruits, which are hand-picked from the ground. After sorting out twigs and leaves, the harvest spends about 24 hours in a closed room, where it undergoes a light sulfur treatment. This process ensures that the dried fruits retain their vibrant orange color and don’t turn brown before they make it into your snack pack. It also halts the growth of mold and other microorganisms.

Radiantly Dried

Then it's back to the sun: for about three days, the apricots are dried on spread-out tarps – completely naturally and under the open sky. This preserves the ideal flavor and the many nutrients of our fruits. Back at the facility, any remaining foreign objects are removed from the batch, and the sun-pampered apricots are pitted by hand.

The Art of Consistency

In the next step, the fruits are separated by size.
Side Facts:

At Seeberger, we use particularly large apricots, specially sorted for us.
We also value the well-known velvety Seeberger consistency in our dried fruit.

To ensure our apricots achieve that silky-soft texture, they undergo a final drying process – this time in the oven, which also marks their farewell from the harvest site. Before journeying to us in Ulm, they rest and undergo a final check for foreign objects.

On average, it takes 6 to 7 kg of fresh apricots to pack 1 kg of dried apricots.

Final Boss: Seeberger Lab

Once the apricots complete their journey, they're scrutinized again by our in-house food chemistry lab in Ulm. We pay special attention to shape, color, size, smell, and foreign material. Only after passing this final check are the fruits approved for packaging.

Reliable Security

We've been working with our apricot suppliers for over two decades. This long-standing cooperation allows us to guarantee specific purchase quantities early on. The farmers reserve this quota and receive the first payment even before the harvest. This way, they don't have to rely on expensive bank loans for ongoing costs.

Enjoyment with a Clear Conscience

You are what you eat. As such, it only makes sense for us to show you how and where your snacks come to life. But enough talk – where are the stars? Grab your velvety-sweet apricots from the orchards of Turkey. Guaranteed from a good home and raised with love. <3