Organic date paste is the single most versatile date ingredient we ship: it sweetens and binds in one step, from one ingredient. For a food manufacturer in the United States or Canada reformulating away from glucose syrup and added sugar, it usually simplifies the ingredient deck rather than complicating it. This guide covers how it is made, the specifications that matter on a production line, and how to source it in bulk.
What Is Organic Date Paste?
Organic date paste is whole organic dates — pitted, then milled into a smooth, thick, spreadable mass. Nothing is added: no water beyond what the fruit carries, no sugar, no preservative, no stabiliser. The ingredient statement reads organic dates.
That single-ingredient status is the commercial point. In a bar, a filling or a bakery mix, date paste replaces two or three separate entries at once:
- The sweetener — glucose syrup, invert sugar or refined cane
- The binder — the syrup or humectant that holds the matrix together
- The humectant — the component keeping the product soft through shelf life
We produce it in Tunisia from our own Deglet Noor harvest, in the same BRC- and IFS-certified plant as the rest of our date ingredients range.
Why buyers switch: replacing "glucose syrup, invert sugar, humectant" with "organic dates" on the back of a pack is a visible win in a category where shoppers read labels. The functional performance usually holds too.
How It Is Made
- Selection. Organic-certified fruit only, sorted and washed, kept physically separate from conventional lots.
- Pitting. Stones removed and the fruit inspected for pit fragments — a critical control point for manufacturing customers.
- Milling. The pitted fruit is milled to the agreed particle size. Finer grinds give a smoother mouthfeel; coarser grinds keep visible fruit texture.
- Packing. Filled into food-grade blocks, pails, drums or aseptic bag-in-box depending on the line that will use it.
No extraction, no refining, no bleaching. This is why the product qualifies as a whole-fruit ingredient rather than a sugar derivative.
Organic Certification and Segregation
Organic date paste from Kartago is certified under the USDA National Organic Program (NOP), which is the certification US buyers need and which Canadian buyers can rely on under the US–Canada Organic Equivalency Arrangement.
Every organic shipment carries an organic transaction certificate. Organic and conventional fruit is kept separate at harvest, pitting, milling, packing and storage — there is no shared-line risk requiring a cleaning affidavit, because the streams do not meet.
If your own certifier requires supplier documentation for your organic handler certificate, we supply the full pack: NOP certificate, transaction certificate, specification sheet and certificate of analysis.
Specifications
| Parameter | Typical value |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | 100% organic dates |
| Appearance | Smooth to lightly textured brown paste |
| Particle size | To specification — fine, medium or coarse grind |
| Moisture | Controlled to agreed target |
| Brix | Naturally high; no added sugars |
| Pit fragments | Inspected, tolerance to specification |
| Shelf life | 12–18 months, cool and dry |
| Certifications | USDA Organic, BRC, IFS Food, Halal, Kosher |
| Allergens | None declared; produced in a facility without major allergens |
Specify these three things
- Particle size — drives mouthfeel and pumpability
- Moisture target — affects water activity and how the paste behaves in your matrix
- Pack format — block, pail, drum or bag-in-box, according to how your line is fed
Applications in Food Manufacturing
- Cereal and protein bars — the flagship use; binds the matrix and sweetens in one ingredient
- Bakery — fillings, cookie doughs, fruit-and-nut bakes; hygroscopic, so it extends soft-eating shelf life
- Confectionery — truffle and bite centres, date-based fillings
- Plant-based and free-from — vegan, gluten-free and no-added-sugar positioning without additives
- Infant and toddler snacks — one recognisable ingredient, no honey restriction
- Dairy and desserts — fruit preparations, ice-cream ripples and swirls
Need pricing on Organic Date Paste in bulk? Tell us your volume, specification and destination.
Request a QuoteDate Paste vs Other Date Ingredients
Paste, syrup, sugar and diced dates all come from the same fruit. The right one depends on the physical form your process needs.
| Ingredient | Form | Sweetens | Binds | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date paste | Thick paste | Yes | Yes | Bars, fillings, doughs |
| Date syrup | Liquid, ~70° Brix | Yes | Partly | Drinks, sauces, glazes, dairy |
| Date sugar / powder | Dry granules | Yes | No | Dry blends, baking, toppings |
| Diced dates | Solid pieces | Partly | No | Visible inclusions |
Paste is the one to reach for when a single ingredient has to do two jobs — sweeten and hold the product together.
Packaging and Shipping to the USA and Canada
Organic Date Paste ships from Tunisia direct to your plant or warehouse, FCL or LCL, with no broker in between.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Bulk formats | To suit your line — see the specification table above |
| Pallets | Standard and euro, shrink-wrapped and corner-protected |
| Container | FCL and LCL to US and Canadian ports, East and West coast |
| Incoterms | FOB, CIF or DDP as agreed |
| US import | FDA registered facility, FSVP documentation, prior notice filed |
| Canadian import | Documentation supporting your SFCR licence and preventive control plan |
| Private label | Artwork, barcodes and retail-ready cases to your spec |
The full range of formats across our ingredients line is on the packaging page.
Certifications and Documentation
Every lot of Organic Date Paste ships with the paperwork your quality and compliance teams need — as standard, not on request.
- Certificate of analysis per production lot: moisture, water activity, microbiological results, heavy metals on request
- USDA Organic certificate plus a transaction certificate on every organic consignment
- BRC and IFS Food certification at the processing plant, audited annually
- Halal and Kosher certificates issued per shipment
- Specification sheet and allergen statement for your own labelling and HACCP file
- Full lot traceability back to the plantation
The detail behind each of these is on our quality and certifications page.
How to Order Organic Date Paste in Bulk
Send us four things and we will come back with a firm quote within 24 business hours:
- Volume — per shipment and, if known, annual
- Specification — the parameters listed above that matter to your process
- Pack format — how your line is fed
- Destination and timing — US or Canadian port or door, and your target in-stock date
We grow the fruit on our own plantations in the Tunisian Djerid and process it in our own BRC-certified plant, which is why we can hold a specification consistently lot to lot. Browse the full date ingredients range, see the whole dates we ship, read about who we are, or start from the homepage.
Frequently Asked Questions About Organic Date Paste
What is organic date paste made of?
Only organic dates. The fruit is pitted and milled into a smooth paste with nothing added: no water beyond what the fruit carries, no sugar, no preservative, no stabiliser. The ingredient statement on your label reads simply "organic dates".
Can organic date paste replace sugar and a binder at the same time?
Yes, and that is its main commercial advantage. In bars, fillings and doughs it performs as sweetener, binder and humectant simultaneously, typically replacing glucose syrup or invert sugar plus a separate binding agent. Bench trials are still needed because water activity and final texture shift with your specific matrix.
Is your date paste certified organic for the USA and Canada?
Yes. It is certified under the USDA National Organic Program, which is what US buyers require, and it is recognised in Canada under the US-Canada Organic Equivalency Arrangement. Every organic shipment carries an organic transaction certificate, and organic fruit is segregated from conventional at every stage.
What particle size is organic date paste available in?
Fine, medium or coarse grind to your specification. Finer grinds give a smoother mouthfeel and pump more easily; coarser grinds retain visible fruit texture. Specify the target at the quote stage, as particle size also affects how the paste behaves in your process.
What pack formats are available for bulk date paste?
Food-grade blocks, pails, drums, aseptic bag-in-box and IBC, depending on how your line is fed. Aseptic bag-in-box is the common choice for continuous processes; blocks suit batch operations. Tell us your line configuration and we will recommend the format.
Does organic date paste contain allergens?
No allergens are declared. It is produced in a facility that does not handle major allergens, and we supply the allergen statement alongside the specification sheet and certificate of analysis for your own labelling and HACCP documentation.
What is the shelf life of organic date paste?
Typically 12 to 18 months stored cool and dry. Natural sugar crystallisation or slight darkening over time is normal and does not indicate spoilage. Each lot ships with a certificate of analysis giving the measured values for that batch.
Where can I buy organic date paste in bulk in the USA or Canada?
Kartago Dates produces organic date paste in Tunisia from its own plantations and ships it directly to food manufacturers across the United States and Canada, FCL or LCL, with no broker in between. Request a quote with your volume, particle size and pack format and our North American team replies within 24 business hours.
In short: Organic Date Paste is produced in Tunisia from our own organic plantations, certified USDA Organic, BRC, Halal and Kosher, and shipped direct to manufacturers across the USA and Canada with a certificate of analysis on every lot. See it alongside the rest of the line on the date ingredients page.