Abdul Sattar Sons: World's Largest Exporters and Importers of Dried Apricot
Abdul Sattar Sons is one of the widely-known companies involved in the international trade of dried fruits, especially dried apricots. Being an exporter, trader, and broker, Abdul Sattar Sons is committed to meeting the varying requirements of clients across the globe. As a reliable producer of fine-dried apricots, the company boasts a wide portfolio of its products and by-products, and it guarantees the best quality and prompt and professional service. Whether delivering tonnes of dried apricots to global importers or supplying small consignments of dried apricots to niche markets, Abdul Sattar Sons is a reliable actor in the world dried apricot market.
Introduction to Dried Apricots
Dried apricot is one of the popular dried fruits from fresh apricot fruits. Also referred to as dried fruits, they are favorite because they are sun-dried or dehydrated, thus have a sweet taste and chewy nature, and can be stored for a very long time. Including vitamins and minerals and rich in antioxidant values, dried apricot is consumed worldwide in meal preparation, culinary arts, and various industries.
The following are Cultivation Regions of Dried Apricots:
Apricot cultivation is done in several areas globally, and each area brings different attributes to the fruit. Being part of the established world tree fruit market, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Iran, Pakistan, and China are the biggest producers of apricots. These regions are characterized by favorable climatic conditions, with summer temperatures touching high and winter temperatures slightly low, ideal for apricot trees to grow.
Turkey: Turkey, especially Malatya, is the leading producer and exporter of dried fruits, and apricot dominates the market. The region's climate and the soil's composition, as well as Turkish apricots' quality and taste, are affected by these things in a big way.
Uzbekistan: Packed with natural sugar and rich in color, Uzbekistan apricot is organically cultivated in the country's fertile land.
Iran: Because of the differentiation of the climate of Iran, various types of apricot cultivars can be grown for the production and sale of dried apricots, a large market share Iran has offered to the world.
Pakistan: The apricot fruits cultivated in northern areas of Pakistan are in demand in foreign countries for their taste and are attributable to their organic growing conditions.
China: The Xinjiang region of China comes with dried apricots; these apricots have a slightly tart taste that suits different customer tastes.
Methods of Preparation
Various techniques or processes can be used in drying apricots; each method offers certain attributes to the dried apricots. Some primary methods of sun drying, air drying, and sulfuring are below.
Sun Drying: The oldest drying technique is when apricots are placed directly in the park and left to get dry under the sun's influence. This keeps it more natural in color, being a bit darker than the previous method and intense in flavor.
Air Drying: One of these techniques involves creating a controlled environment in which air is circulated apricots to dry them. Coating provides improved color holding capacity and a nice formation to the product.
Sulphuring: Sulphuring is done by exposing the apricots to sulfur dioxide before sun or air drying is conducted. This method assists in maintaining the bright orange color, enhancing its shelf life.
Types of Dried Apricots
Professional dried apricots can be presented as halves or quarters and may have different moisture content to suit many purposes. The primary types include:
Dried Apricot Sulphured:
Description: This type of apricot is usually treated with sulfur dioxide to retain the orange skin and to enhance the shelf-life. Sulfured dried apricot is favored for its attractive color and relatively long duration of use.
Usage: This is added to most processed foods marketed for human consumption, including cereals, biscuits–related products, and snacks. They are also common in their own right as a snack because of their bright red color and slightly sour taste.
Diced Dried Apricot Sulphured:
Description: These are sulfured dried apricots that have been chopped into small neat cubes. Sulfur treatment intends to make them bright and fresh in appearance as intended to be sold in the market.
Usage: Among them, the kibbled shape is suitable for granolas, yogurt toppings, bakery products, and confections, and the extruded or coil-shaped shape is best for sautéing and deep frying applications. As they have been diced, they are very convenient to use wherever a flavor of apricot is desired in food preparation.
Diced Dried Apricot Sulphured and Rice Flavored: Diced Dried Apricot Sulphured and Rice Flavored:
Description: This sort is based on combining the qualities of sulfured dried apricots with adding rice taste.
Usage: Applicable in specialty foods, gourmet dishes, and unique meals and dishes where there is a need to differentiate between the various complex flavors. These apricots bring an original taste to sweet dishes cooked with spicy cuisine.
Dried Apricot Un-Sulphured:
Description: These apricots are not sun-dried with sulfur dioxide; hence, they are darker in shade and rich in natural apricot flavor. Un-sulfured apricots enjoy a higher demand, with customers concerned about additives used in their food.
Usage: Well received in natural food stores and shoppers looking for purer bread. It is perfect for trail mixes and healthy snacks and adds to the organic food products where it is practiced.
Diced Dried Apricot Un-Sulphured and Rice Flavored: Diced Dried Apricot Un-Sulphured and Rice Flavored:
Description: Un-sulphured diced apricots with a rice note are sweet, and the added rice taste gives the apricots the additional qualities of rice.
Usage: In this category, those apricots that are ideal for healthy recipes are found, and they are used in salads, health bars, and other recipes where the taste and texture of the apricot fruit are appropriate.
Sweet Apricot Kernels:
Description: These kernels can be obtained from the pits of apricots, commonly grown In the East, Central Asia, the Middle East, and Turkey. They are delicious, slightly sweet, have a nutty taste, and are high in oil content and other nutrients.
Usage: It has applications in ancient remedies and the culinary arena, such as in the preparation of marzipan, flavored oils, and liqueurs. Sweet apricot kernels are eaten as a snack or included in confectionery products to give some crunch.
Sweet Apricot Kernels Standard:
Description: These are unprocessed, raw apricot kernels with no additives. They keep their original taste profiles full of healthy things like vitamin E, fatty acids, and antioxidants.
Usage: These kernels have applications in preparing healthy foods, energy bars, and traditional medicines. They are also commonly used by the natural/organic food markets where consumers prefer their raw, natural food products.
Sweet Apricot Kernels Blanched:
Description: Sweet, blanched apricot kernels have their skins peeled off, making for a softer feel in their mouth and a tamer taste. Blanching also helps improve the kernels' looks, making them more appropriate for gourmet food preparation.
Usage: The bleached kernels are commonly used in confectionery, such as in marzipan production and in making nougat and pralines. It is also found in recipes that require a fine, nutty taste, such as gourmet recipes.
Grades of Dried Apricots
The size, color, level of dryness, and extent of defectiveness of the dried apricots classify them. The most common grades include: The most common grades include:
Extra Fancy:
Characteristics: These are top-quality dried apricots that are larger, uniformly shaped, and have a good bright color. Extra Fancy apricots are small to medium in size and contain very few or no defects, giving them a touch of luxury in texture and flavor.
Usage: More common in luxury merchandise packaging, gourmet food, dairy, and luxury chocolates. They are also consumed by the rich class of consumers who seek to get the best quality of dried apricots.
Fancy:
Characteristics: Extra fancy grade apricots are slightly smaller than standard fancy, and the fruits differ in color and size to a small extent. They remain of great quality and contain no gross errors.
Usage: Good for use on the counter, baking, and other foods and products. Fancy apricots are less costly and, at the same time, are of relatively high quality.
Choice:
Characteristics: The choice apricots are distinguishable both in size and couleur, although of a narrow range. They may have few surface defects but are apt for taste and texture. They may not be in perfect shape, but are preferred for taste and texture.
Usage: Used in most commercially processed food products like jams, jellies, sauces, etc. Choice apricots are also applied in production processes where the fruit's appearance is unimportant.
Standard:
Characteristics: There are more differences in size, color, and texture population among the standard grade apricots compared to the other grades. It may have imperfections on the surface and some other imperfections like spots, wrinkles, or dryness.
Usage: Mainly applied in industries including apricot concentrate production or apricot paste or as a part of animal food. Standard apricots are also used where the stress is not laid on the aesthetic aspect of the product but on the utilization of fruit in other products that come in large quantities in the market.
Culinary and Industrial Usage
Dried apricots are versatile and can be used in various culinary and industrial applications. Dried apricots are It's very flexible and can be used in many different ways in both cooking and business:
Culinary Uses: Apricots in a dry form are taken as snacks, included in trail mix, or used to sweeten breakfast meals, yogurts, and dessert courses. They also accommodate themselves in other meals like stews, tagines, and salads, which taste sweet and sour.
Industrial Uses: Besides their cooking uses, dried fruit, especially apricots, are used to prepare jams and preserve babies' foods. They are also turned into an apricot paste for use in sauces, spreads, and confectionery goods.
Physical and Chemical Details
Dried apricots are rich in essential nutrients and offer several health benefits. Dried apricots are full of important nutrients and good for your health in many ways:
Nutritional Composition: Dried fruits, specifically apricot, have vitamins A and C, potassium content, and high fiber and iron. They are low in fat and calories and ideal for snacks.
Antioxidants: Beta carotene and polyphenol contents of the fruit are well-known oxidants that prevent the body from oxidative stress and inflammation.
Chemical Properties: Sulphured dried apricots contain sulfur dioxide, which is used to preserve the fruit's appearance and longevity on the shelf. Other varieties are less sulfured, meaning they have a higher content of natural sugars and a strong concentration of the fruit's taste.
Health Benefits
Consuming dried apricots offers numerous health benefits, including Consuming dried apricots offers numerous health benefits, including:
Improved Digestion: Because of the rich fiber content in the dried apricots, they aid digestion and fight against constipation.
Heart Health: Dietary potassium in the dried apricots contributes to normalizing high blood pressure to reduce the chances of heart ailments.
Eye Health: Dried apricot contains vitamin A, which benefits vision and prevents age-related eye diseases.
Bone Health: Apricots are rich in calcium and magnesium, vital for bone health.
Types of packaging for both Bulk and End Users
Abdul Sattar Sons offers a variety of packaging choices to meet the wants of all kinds of customers, for bulk importers or individual consumers: Abdul Sattar Sons offers a variety of packaging choices to meet the wants of a wide range of customers, from large importers to individual buyers:
Bulk Packaging: People can buy dried apricots in bulk in saccular packing or cartons, which is best for wholesalers and industries. The packaging helps to retain the quality and the freshness of the fruit and also avoids spoiling the fruit during transportation.
Consumer Packaging: For the retail markets, the dried apricots should be packed in pouches with a reseal system, vacuum-packed polyethylene bags, or a polyethylene container. These options guarantee convenience, ease of storage, and eventually prolonged shelf-life.
The information also displays the garments-producing countries' major countries of origin and export destinations.
Abdul Sattar Sons are sourcing dried apricots from the best production areas of the world to cater to different markets. The primary countries of origin include: The primary countries of origin include:
Turkey
Uzbekistan
Iran
Pakistan
China
The premium quality of these dried apricots is shipped to many countries in North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. The principal export markets are the United States of America, Canada, Germany, France, Japan, and the United Arab Emirates.
Conclusion
At Abdul Sattar Sons, there is a drive to provide the best-dried apricots to consumers worldwide. Offering a complete variety of dried apricot products, sulfured and un-sulphured, diced products, and sweet apricot kernels, the company guarantees its clients get exactly what they desire with nothing less than the best. From a cooking perspective, an industrial manufacturing use perspective, or for health purposes, Abdul Sattar Sons appears as a market leader in dried apricots, catering to customer needs in the global market through excellent quality dried apricots.
