About Sun-Dried Tomato
ABOUT DRIED TOMATOES 
SARDES has shown a significant growth in the production capacity of 'Sun Dried Tomatoes' in line with the demands around the world, and there has been some growth every year since its establishment.
GREENHOUSE
Sardes is very objective in supplying fresh products of homogeneous quality. From seed to seedling in greenhouses, from planting seedlings to final product in the fields, all steps are followed and organized.
Preparations for the new season begin in January: Quality seeds are taken to grow fresh seedlings in Sardes greenhouses.
Sowing in the fields in April: The seedlings distributed to the contracted farmers are planted in the fields under the supervision of Sardes experts.
By June, the tomatoes are growing: Sardes provides farmers with planting, irrigation, disinfection and fertilization techniques together with an effective residue, control and use of agrochemicals.
HARVEST TIME
June-July harvest begins: Fresh tomatoes ripen at the end of June and are ready for harvest. Tomatoes suitable for drying are collected and brought to the drying station in plastic crates.
Selection for sun drying: Tomatoes are selected according to Sardes quality criteria. Damaged tomatoes that are not in the desired color are separated and made ready for drying.
Sardes organizes its drying stations and fields in the same area. Thus, fresh tomatoes are subjected to drying process
within a few hours.
SUNDRYING
Tomatoes are brought to the drying area. In order not to lose the aroma part, after cutting it by hand, it is placed on the lined tarpaulins and left to dry for 5-6 days under the light of the Aegean sun.
With the final control, defective products are separated. In this process, all personnel use disinfectants to reduce the microbial risk.
SULFUR AND SALTED TOMATO DRIED
Salt application is done by the operators by hand sprinkling method and sulfur application is done by showering method.
The salt and sulfur concentration in the final product is calculated according to the target values determined in the customer specifications.
Walkways are left between the carefully laid tomato halves to ensure complete drying, allowing regular inspection and monitoring during drying.
Protective measures against external influences: Drying stations are set up far from highways in order to reduce external factors. In addition, the sides of the drying stations are surrounded by 1 meter sets in order to prevent foreign matter contamination.
STORAGE
Humidity control: Tomatoes are controlled to provide the optimum amount of moisture.
If the dried tomatoes are sufficient for quality measures, they are collected in small heaps.
Drum: Dried tomatoes are ready to pass through the drum to separate foreign materials that may contaminate during
drying.
Cold weather: After the dried tomatoes are weighed, they are transferred to the cold storage in the enterprise before time to preserve their natural properties.
Year-round production: Dried tomatoes are ready to be processed year-round according to the demands of customers around the world.
Production Process: Sun dried tomatoes as dry or RTE (ready-to-eat) tomatoes upon request; It is processed and packaged as half, strip or cube cut. The products are passed through a metal detector. Dried tomatoes are packed in vacuum / non-vacuum or in glass jars, cans, pasteurized. Finally, natural, healthy and delicious sun-dried tomatoes are ready to be delivered to customers worldwide.
LABORATORY ANALYSIS
Sardes meticulously controls all production stages in its own laboratory. Input control in raw materials, auxiliary materials, packaging materials: physical, chemical and microbiological analyzes of water, process and end products are performed.
BENEFITS OF SUNDRIED TOMATOES
Sun Dried Tomatoes are a natural source of vitamin C, calcium and iron. Dried tomatoes meet 40% of a person's daily antioxidant vitamin C need.
Antioxidant-rich foods help protect cells. Thus, it reduces the risk of cancer, diabetes, heart and lung diseases. Dried tomatoes are fiberophilic. In other words, its nutritional value increases when it is cooked with oil (olive oil).
A bowl of sun-dried tomatoes contains 8 g of carbohydrates and is also rich in fiber.
1 kg of dried tomatoes are obtained from 15 kg of fresh tomatoes.