What Is Oven-Dried Fruit? How Shemsana Makes It, From Harvest to Pack

What is oven-dried fruit?

Oven-dried fruit is fresh fruit that has been sliced and dried in industrial ovens with controlled hot-air circulation until most of its water is gone. As the water leaves, the fruit's own sugars, aroma and colour concentrate. The result is a light, crisp or slightly chewy product that keeps for a long time without any additives.

At Shemsana we make all of our dried fruit at our own facility in the Burhan Organised Industrial Zone in Mersin, Türkiye, as part of AR-Seracılık Tarım A.Ş. Our range includes orange, strawberry, kiwi, pineapple, apple and many more oven-dried fruits.

Is traditional dried fruit the same as oven-dried fruit?

Traditional dried fruits such as apricots, figs and raisins are usually dried whole, often in the sun, and end up soft and sticky. Oven-dried fruit is dried as thin slices in a controlled environment. It reaches a lower moisture level, turns crisp, keeps its colour and stands out wherever looks matter: garnishes, drinks, decorations and snacks.

Why oven drying?

Sun drying depends on the weather, and dust, insects and humidity are hard to control. In an industrial oven, temperature, airflow and time are set for every batch. That control delivers three things:

• Consistent quality: Slices of the same thickness dry in the same time to the same moisture level, so every carton looks and tastes like the last one.
• Natural colour and aroma: Controlled heat stops the fruit from burning or browning. Orange stays orange, kiwi stays green and strawberry stays red.
• Nothing added: We add no sugar and no preservatives. Low moisture and the right packaging are what give the long shelf life.

From harvest to pack in 5 steps

1. Raw material intake

Incoming fruit is checked for freshness, size, sugar and moisture. Fruit that is not suitable for drying never goes on the line.

2. Washing and slicing

The fruit is washed on automated lines, then sliced to the thickness the customer needs or cut into cubes.

3. Oven or convection drying

Every fruit has a different sugar and water content, so temperature and time are set per product. You can read more about our lines on the oven drying page.

4. Laboratory checks

Every dried batch is tested for moisture and microbiology, and the results are recorded before shipment.

5. Packing and shipping

Products are packed in 15–50 g doypack pouches for retail, or in cartons with a PE inner bag and a metallised bag for industrial use.

Who uses our oven-dried fruit?

Bakeries and patisseries, cafés and bars, granola and muesli producers, tea blenders, chocolate makers and snack brands. Our products are BRCGS, Kosher and Halal certified and FDA registered, and they reach buyers across Europe, the Middle East and Eurasia.

Browse the full range on our products page, or contact us for samples and a quote.