FIGS

Figs are harvested and gathered when they are about three-quarters ripe, so they will continue to ripen after packaging is completed. The fruit honey will then gradually penetrate the skin, and those with particularly thin skins will begin to show a darker color. This darker color is natural, and no additives are used.

Hydrogen Peroxide - which makes dried figs brighter - is prohibited in many countries, including several of those in the US and Europe. Dried figs should be natural, and no treated with H202.
The color of a natural dried fig varies, some with a lighter hue, and others slightly darker. This variance in color makes them very different from the uniform, light color of bleached figs.
Bleached figs have a whitish pericarp, have a chemical odor, and have lost their elasticity. You may notice poor taste, and maybe even the taste of chemicals.

This powder is known as “bloom”, and is one of the natural features of Turkish figs, which are rich in sugar. The sugar in the skin will become bloom during the drying process. The bloom is rich in nutrients, and is one of the precious features of high quality figs.

The shelf life of a dried figs is one year.

Fig Size Chart

You can eat finely-chopped dried figs on oatmeal or porridge, sprinkled on a salad, or added to meats, sea foods, and different sauces. Figs can also be added to rice, couscous, or baked goods.

Dried figs are nutrient-rich and very filling. This combination makes figs a great resource for those looking to lose weight or fight obesity. Since figs are really filling, they help people control their appetite.

When fresh figs are dried, approximately 60% of their water content is removed. That means dried figs have a higher concentration of nutrients, fiber, and calories. Fresh figs are available for a short amount of time, so stocking up on dried figs is the best way to have a continual supply of this healthy fruit.

Turkey supplies nearly 60% of the world’s dried figs, and is known as the highest quality region for fig growing.
The 38 N Aydin Mountain region in Turkey is known for high quality, unpolluted sand soil, long sunshine duration (with more photosynthesis), irrigated by glacier-molten water, over 20 Celsius degrees at nighttime, 220 days without frost (so that figs can fully absorb nutrients), and big day-night temperature difference (so that more nutrients can be stored).
All these elements combine to make this small region the perfect area for growing, harvesting, and drying figs.

Smyrna figs are the same as Calimyrna figs. The only difference is that the Calimyrna is grown in California.