NuriFarmer

1. Before persimmons become dried persimmons, the first step in the standard process begins.

The first step determining the taste and quality of dried persimmons is not drying, but how the persimmons are sorted. Persimmons immediately after harvest may look similar on the surface, but their size, weight, and flesh density produce entirely different results during the subsequent drying process. Especially since dried persimmons are a food ingredient that undergoes significant shape changes as moisture is lost, the criteria used for initial sorting directly determine the final quality.

Therefore, in dried persimmon production, ‘persimmon sorting’ is treated not as a simple organizing task, but as a core step that balances the entire process. This process is closer to a preparatory stage that helps each persimmon dry in the most suitable way, rather than prioritizing speed for mass production.

2. Why size classification is necessary: Drying is perfected through uniformity.

Persimmons vary in moisture content and drying speed depending on their size. Larger persimmons contain more internal moisture and dry slowly, while smaller ones dry relatively quickly.

If these differences are ignored and all persimmons are dried simultaneously in one space, some will remain under-dried while others become excessively dry. Therefore, workshops employ an automatic or semi-automatic sorting process to separate persimmons by size.

Persimmons moving along the conveyor line are naturally separated based on weight and size, then directed to different drying zones. This process plays a crucial role in maintaining consistent texture and sweetness in dried persimmons, forming the fundamental condition for the ‘uniform quality’ expected by overseas consumers.

3. A delicate process created by the human hand and machine working together

Even after machine sorting is complete, the final inspection is still done by hand.

Persimmons with surface blemishes or unsuitable for drying are sorted out again at this stage. Unlike mass production methods, this is particularly crucial in overseas markets that prioritize trust in dried foods.

The persimmons, sorted by size, then proceed to peeling, hanging, and drying. All these processes are designed based on the initial size classification.

The reason persimmons hung at regular intervals in the drying shed dry evenly is precisely due to this initial sorting. While it may appear to be a simple task at first glance, it is actually the result of accumulated experience and data over many years.

4. Sincerity is first revealed in the unseen process.

While dried persimmons may still be an unfamiliar ingredient to overseas consumers, they belong to a very familiar category when viewed as ‘dried fruit’.

However, what sets dried persimmons apart from other dried fruits is that natural conditions and process management must be much more intricately aligned.

Size sorting best illustrates this difference and is why dried persimmons are not merely dried fruit but stand as a highly refined food product.

Though this end-to-end process remains unseen by consumers, it clearly translates into taste, texture, and trust. Each dried persimmon contains not only nature but also invisible standards and processes.