How Is Fruit Juice Made?
We transport freshly harvested, seasonal fruits to our factory in our own vehicles within just 24 hours. Once the fruits arrive at our factory, they are washed, and any rotten or damaged fruits are sorted out. Depending on the type of fruit, the seeds, stems and peels are removed, or the fruits are peeled before being crushed in mills or pressed to extract their juice.
For our cold-pressed-style, freshly squeezed products, we then heat the juice, fill it into bottles and cool it down, much like preparing homemade preserved tomatoes for the winter.
For our other products, once the fruits have been pressed, we remove the water from the juice to turn it into concentrate, helping prevent spoilage. By removing the water, fruit juice concentrates can be stored more safely and remain more stable in terms of both sensory and microbiological properties. The concentrates are then reconstituted and prepared at our factory according to the requirements of each product category. These products are rapidly heated and cooled through a process called pasteurization, then packaged in a way that prevents contact with the external environment.
This process ensures that unopened packages remain safe, retain their flavor and maintain their quality throughout their shelf life, provided that the packaging remains intact and undamaged.
Is Packaged Fruit Juice Sold in Stores Different from Homemade Fruit Juice?
The basic processes involved in making fruit juice are similar in both cases, but packaged fruit juice is produced using larger-scale machinery. For example, the presses we use in our factories work on a principle very similar to that of household juicers.
The main difference is that our packaged fruit juices undergo a process called pasteurization to maintain their quality and shelf life. They are then filled and packaged hygienically under controlled conditions, without manual contact or exposure to the external environment.
What Does Fruit Juice Contain?
All our products are manufactured in compliance with the Turkish Food Codex Communiqué on Fruit Juice and Similar Products, as well as applicable EU food safety legislation and some of the products (such as Smoothies and Iced Coffee Products) are in compliance with the US FDA requirements. Product formulations, permitted ingredients and fruit content are determined in accordance with the relevant regulatory requirements.
We strive to offer a wide variety of products to meet our consumers’ preferences. Ingredients vary depending on the product category.
In our nutritious product category, which we lead, our freshly squeezed fruit juices are made simply by squeezing fresh fruit and bottling the juice. They contain no additives, added water or added sugar. Our DİMES 100% fruit juices, meanwhile, contain 100% fruit juice.
According to the Turkish Food Codex Communiqué on Fruit Juice and Similar Products, fruit nectars must contain a minimum of 25% fruit. The fruit content of DİMES fruit nectars, part of our enjoyable and refreshing product range, varies between 25% and 99%, depending on the fruit.
Fruits such as peaches and apricots have a naturally thick consistency when processed. As a result, using them at 100% concentration does not produce a fruit juice with the characteristics of conventional fruit juice.
Do Your Fruit Juices Contain Additives?
We do not add preservatives to the natural DİMES taste that has been part of households for generations. To extend shelf life, we use a traditional preservation method based on heating and cooling, then fill our products into sterilized packaging without exposing them to air.
We list the ingredients of our products on the side panels of our packaging, sharing this information transparently with our consumers.
What Makes Freshly Squeezed Fruit Juice Different from Other Products?
Freshly squeezed fruit juice is made from fresh, seasonal fruit. It is not concentrated and contains no added water, added sugar or preservatives. The fruit is simply squeezed and the juice is bottled.
Its shelf life is extended through heating and cooling, much like the homemade tomato preserves traditionally prepared for the winter.
Made entirely from fruit, our freshly squeezed range represents the closest alternative to the original fruit in the fruit juice category and sits at the premium end of the segment.
Our freshly squeezed products are marketed under the DİMES Sıkma brand. The range offers six different flavors, including freshly squeezed juice made from Türkiye’s delicious locally grown oranges, authentic pomegranate juice pressed with its seeds, and Türkiye’s first and only freshly squeezed apple juice with a rich, homemade-grated-apple-like texture and a source of fiber.
How Do You Preserve the Shelf Life of Your Products?
Like all natural products, fruit juice can deteriorate due to microorganisms naturally present in the environment. However, heating and cooling—a traditional preservation method used in households for centuries—helps preserve the freshness and nutritional properties of our products.
The scientific term for this traditional method is pasteurization.
Our fruit juices are filled under sterile conditions in state-of-the-art, closed production systems without manual contact. This allows us to maintain a shelf life of up to one year without adding preservatives.
Do You Offer Products with No Added Sugar?
Our freshly squeezed fruit juices, 100% fruit juices and smoothies in our nutritious product category contain only the naturally occurring sugars found in the fruit itself. No additional sugar is added.
Do Your Nectar Products Contain Sugar?
Fruit nectars account for a significant share of fruit juice consumption in Türkiye. Like homemade lemonade and fruit compotes, these products naturally contain sugar, depending on their formulation.
The fruit content of DİMES nectars varies between 25% and 99%, depending on the product. Our nectars never contain preservatives.
Is It True That DİMES Only Processes Fruit of a Quality Suitable for Serving at the Table?
Founded in 1963 by Mustafa Vasfi Diren in Tokat, DİMES was the first branded fruit juice produced in Türkiye using domestic capital and without foreign partners.
We are committed to supporting the sustainability of our fertile lands while creating delicious products that stay as close to the original fruit as possible. To support local communities and domestic production, we source produce from the fertile regions of our country, where harvesting seasons can extend over long periods.
Every fruit we purchase undergoes rigorous quality control. Rotten fruit can compromise the flavor of juice made from sound fruit, so any rotten fruit identified during inspection is rejected before entering our factory. Individual fruits that may not be visible within the crates are sorted out on the production line inside the factory.
The oranges we use in fruit juice production may have different characteristics from the oranges typically eaten fresh at home. This is because different varieties of fruit have different properties and suitability for juice production.
Our commitment to quality stems from the principle established by our founder: “We never process fruit that we would not serve at our own table, and we never produce fruit juice that we would not give our own children to drink.”
Since 1963, we have worked to make the delicious fruits of our homeland available for people to enjoy in every season.
Why Does Mold or Yeast Develop in Fruit Juice?
As with many food products, microorganisms are the main cause of mold and yeast growth in fruit juice.
When fruit juice comes into contact with air for any reason and suitable conditions are present—such as an appropriate ambient temperature or a prolonged period after opening—microorganisms can multiply and spoilage may begin. This can also be easily observed in freshly squeezed juice prepared at home.
To help prevent this, we recommend refrigerating products after opening and consuming them within two days. :)
In packaged products, microorganisms are inactivated through pasteurization. However, even a product manufactured under safe conditions can become damaged during transportation, storage or display on store shelves.
If the packaging is damaged, air may enter the product, allowing external microorganisms to contaminate it and begin to multiply, just as they can in homemade fruit juice that has not been adequately protected. Consuming such a product may adversely affect your health.
For this reason, we recommend that you do not purchase or consume packages that are swollen, have been opened previously or show any signs of damage.
Do Your Products Contain Gluten?
There are no gluten-containing products in the DİMES product portfolio. Our products are manufactured in compliance with the Turkish Regulation on Food Labeling and Consumer Information, as well as applicable legislation concerning food allergens.
All stages of our production processes, from raw material sourcing to packaging, are regularly monitored, and the necessary verification checks are carried out.
We recommend that consumers with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity remain mindful of the potential risk of cross-contamination when consuming our products alongside other foods and beverages.