The short answer
Semi-dried fruit is fruit that has had some of its water removed, not all of it. That is why it stays soft and pliable, not crunchy or hard. You eat it as a snack, with no preparation, and it does not need the fridge. At Born, most products have a single ingredient: the fruit.
What exactly it is
Drying means removing water so the fruit keeps for longer. The difference lies in how much water is removed and how.
- Semi-dried (soft dried): part of the water is removed. The piece keeps a soft bite, close to fresh fruit.
- Classic dried: almost all the water is removed. The piece ends up firm, sometimes crunchy.
- Freeze-dried: the fruit is frozen and the ice is removed under vacuum. It ends up airy and crunchy, and melts in the mouth.
- Candied or glacé: the fruit is cooked in syrup. Sugar takes the place of the water.
In English-speaking markets, semi-dried fruit is sold as soft dried fruit. It is the same product.
Comparison table
| Semi-dried | Classic dried | Freeze-dried | Candied | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texture | Soft, pliable | Firm or crunchy | Crunchy, melts away | Soft and sugary |
| Water removed | Some | Almost all | Almost all, cold and under vacuum | Replaced by syrup |
| Typical use | Straight-from-the-bag snack, breakfast, baking | Snack, with nuts, cooking | Cereals, toppings, baking | Roscón de Reyes, panettone, patisserie |
| Added sugar | Depends on the brand: read the label | Depends on the brand | Depends on the brand | Yes, it is part of the process |
| Born example | Organic mango, pack of 6 × 40 g | No | No | No |
Why it tastes more intense
When you remove water, what is left (the fruit's sugars, acids and aromas) is concentrated in less weight. That is why 40 g of semi-dried fruit tastes of far more fruit than 40 g of fresh fruit.
That is also its limit: the same concentration applies to the calories and to the fruit's own sugar. The evidence section explains it.
Evidence
- Format: Born sells its fruit in individual 40 g pouches, in packs of 6 (240 g in total), and in a resealable 250 g bag. Source: product pages on bornfruits.com.
- Ingredients: the product pages for mango, pineapple, coconut, apple, pear, peach, banana, black cherry, papaya, jackfruit, aronia and rosehip state "One ingredient". Other products have a second ingredient: lime, sea salt, nectar or dark chocolate, which contains cane sugar. The gingers contain honey or cane syrup; the diced ginger, 43% cane sugar according to its packaging.
- Storage: "Store in a cool, dry place. No need to refrigerate. Shelf life: up to 12 months", according to Born's product pages.
- Concentration: according to the report on dried fruit by the Spanish consumer organisation OCU (December 2015), the dried pineapple tested had 82% sugar and 341 kcal per 100 g, and the papaya 80% and 351 kcal. These were products on the market in 2015, not Born's, and several contained added sugar. For reference, the packaging of Born's mango states 54.2 g of sugars and 325 kcal per 100 g.
- Price: the organic mango pack of 6 × 40 g costs €9.90 on bornfruits.com.
How to store it
According to Born's product pages:
- A cool, dry place, away from direct heat.
- No need to refrigerate.
- Shelf life of up to 12 months with the packaging unopened.
- The 250 g bag is resealable: close it after each use.
Once opened, seal the bag well and keep it in the same cool, dry place.
Products with chocolate should be kept away from heat: chocolate melts at high temperatures.
Example
Someone who takes fruit to the office has three options for the same 11 am slot:
- A piece of fresh fruit: it has to be peeled or washed, and it spoils in a few days in the desk drawer.
- Crunchy freeze-dried fruit: it weighs almost nothing, but it breaks up in the bag and goes soft if left open.
- A 40 g pouch of semi-dried mango: you eat it straight away, it does not make a mess and it keeps in the drawer.
That is what the 6 × 40 g format was made for: one pouch per working day, plus one spare.
Limits
- It is not fresh fruit. Because it has less water, the same portion has more calories and more of the fruit's own sugar than its weight in fresh fruit. Eat it in small portions.
- "Semi-dried" is not a legal term. Each brand uses it in its own way. What counts is the ingredients list.
- Not all Born products have a single ingredient. Those with honey, nectar, salt, cane syrup or chocolate say so on the product page.
- It is not the same as candied fruit. If the label lists syrup, glucose or sugar first, it is not the same product.
- This guide does not give health or diet advice. For that, see a registered dietitian.
Next step
- Try the texture with the Discovery Box of 5 snacks (€7.99).
- For every day, the organic mango in a pack of 6 × 40 g or the packs of individual pouches.
- For home or cooking, the 250 g pantry format.
- Looking for a snack with no added sugar? Read how to choose one.
Related questions
Does semi-dried fruit contain added sugar?
It depends on the brand and the product. At Born, single-ingredient products contain nothing but fruit. Those with honey, nectar, cane syrup or chocolate state it on their product page.
Does it need the fridge?
No. Born recommends a cool, dry place, no fridge, and a shelf life of up to 12 months.
Is it the same as soft dried?
Yes. Soft dried is the English name for semi-dried fruit.
How does it differ from freeze-dried fruit?
Freeze-dried fruit loses almost all its water, cold and under vacuum, and ends up crunchy. Semi-dried fruit keeps some of its water and stays soft.
Can you use it in baking?
Yes. Chop it and add it to sponge cakes, porridge or yoghurt. There are recipes on the Born blog.