Soft-Dried Citrus

Specifications of Vietnamese Soft-Dried Citrus (Orange, Mandarin, Pomelo) – Export Standard

1. Raw Material Source

• 100% premium varieties: Cam Sành, Cam Xoàn, Mandarin (Quýt đường), Bưởi Da Xanh, Bưởi Năm Roi from major growing regions: – Tien Giang, Vinh Long, Dong Thap, Ben Tre, Hau Giang – Ham Yen (Tuyen Quang), Bac Giang (mandarin) – Hoa Binh, Cao Phong (orange)
• Orchards certified VietGAP, GlobalGAP with registered growing area codes for EU, USA, Japan export.
• Harvested at 90–95% physiological ripeness (skin fully colored yellow/orange/red, juicy flesh).

2. Production Process

• Washing → Outer peel removal (thin green peel only), white pith kept upon request
• Slicing into 5–7 mm rounds or wedge segments
• Natural anti-browning treatment (concentrated lemon juice + natural fruit-derived vitamin C)
• Vacuum soft-drying at 48–60°C for 18–28 hours (mainstream technology)
• Premium lines: freeze-drying first → vacuum soft-drying finish (for Japan, USA, EU)
• Metal detection → Vacuum or N2-mixed gas packing

3. Product Forms of Soft-Dried Citrus

• Whole round slices with thin peel
• Ready-to-use wedges/segments
• Long strips (5 × 40–60 mm)
• Cubes 10 × 10 × 10 mm
• Soft-dried citrus peel (for tea & seasoning)
• Soft-dried citrus powder

4. Technical Specifications – Export Standard

• Moisture: 12–18%
• Brix: 55–68°Bx (naturally high sweetness)
• Color: Bright yellow → deep orange → red (variety-dependent), 100% natural)
• Intense natural citrus essential oil aroma, perfectly balanced sweet-sour, soft & chewy
• No added sugar, no SO2, no chemical preservatives
• Water activity (Aw): < 0.60
• Essential oil content in peel ≥ 1.2% (especially for Japan market)

5. Common Packing Types

• Aluminum foil zip bags 100 g, 200 g, 500 g, 1 kg (retail)
• Vacuum bags 5–10 kg + outer carton
• Clear food-grade PET jars 200–500 g
• N2-mixed gas bags 10 kg/carton (USA, EU, Japan markets)

6. Container Loading Capacity (10 kg net/carton)

• Standard carton size: ≈ 40 × 30 × 28 cm
• 20’RF container: 1,450–1,600 cartons ≈ 14.5–16 tons
• 40’HC/RF container: 3,100–3,400 cartons ≈ 31–34 tons

7. Required Certifications by Export Market

8. Applications in the Food Industry

• Premium ready-to-eat fruit snack
• High-grade herbal tea, detox tea, premium tea bags
• Filling for mooncakes, mochi, citrus soft candy, chocolate-coated citrus
• Topping for cakes, yogurt, ice cream, granola
• Citrus powder for sponge cakes, macarons, salad dressings, beverage seasoning
• Key ingredient in cocktails, mocktails, citrus sodas
• Retail in Asian supermarkets across USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, Japan

Vietnamese soft-dried citrus stands out with its intense natural essential oil aroma, vibrant natural colors, and perfectly balanced sweet-tart flavor from the world’s finest specialty varieties, grown under VietGAP/GlobalGAP standards, processed with zero preservatives or chemical additives, fully compliant with the most stringent global export certifications, making it the ultimate clean, premium, and versatile ingredient for the international tea, confectionery, and healthy beverage industries.