Organic diced and chopped dates are the form to specify when the fruit needs to be seen. Where paste and purée disappear into a matrix, diced pieces stay visible, deliver bite, and let a pack claim real fruit inclusions. This guide covers cut sizes, the dusting question that decides whether pieces flow or clump, and bulk supply to the United States and Canada.
What Are Organic Diced and Chopped Dates?
Organic diced dates are pitted organic dates cut to a uniform size — typically cubes — for use as an inclusion. Chopped dates are the same product cut less regularly, where visual uniformity matters less than cost.
The commercial reason to choose them over paste is straightforward: visibility. A cereal bar with visible date pieces reads differently on shelf and on the ingredient deck than one sweetened with an invisible paste, even when the fruit content is comparable.
- Uniform cut — consistent dosing and even distribution through a matrix
- Visible fruit — supports "with real dates" claims and pack photography
- Texture contrast — chew against a softer base
- Single ingredient — declares as "organic dates" when undusted
How They Are Made
- Organic fruit selection — certified lots, segregated from conventional at intake.
- Pitting and inspection — stones removed, fruit checked for pit fragments.
- Dicing — cut to the agreed size, commonly 6 mm, 8 mm or 10 mm.
- Dusting (optional) — a light coating of oat flour or rice flour to stop pieces sticking together.
- Sieving and packing — fines removed, then packed into cartons or bags.
The dusting decision matters. Undusted pieces keep a one-ingredient declaration but agglomerate, particularly in warm conditions. Oat- or rice-dusted pieces flow freely through hoppers and depositors but add a second ingredient — and oat dusting introduces a gluten consideration. Decide this before you specify.
Organic Certification and North American Compliance
Organic diced and chopped dates from Kartago are certified under the USDA National Organic Program (NOP), recognised in Canada under the US–Canada Organic Equivalency Arrangement, so a single certification covers both target markets.
If you specify a dusting agent, it must also be organic for the finished product to retain its organic status — we use certified organic oat or rice flour, and the certificate covers the dusted product as supplied.
Every organic shipment carries an organic transaction certificate, and organic fruit is segregated from conventional at every stage from harvest to packing.
Specifications
| Parameter | Typical value |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | 100% organic dates, or organic dates with organic oat/rice flour |
| Cut size | 6 mm, 8 mm, 10 mm or to specification |
| Dusting | Undusted, oat-dusted or rice-dusted |
| Flow | Free-flow when dusted; agglomerates undusted |
| Moisture | Controlled to agreed target |
| Pit fragments | Inspected, tolerance to specification |
| Fines | Sieved, tolerance to specification |
| Pack formats | 10 kg cartons, 20–25 kg bags, big bags |
| Shelf life | 12–18 months, cool and dry |
| Certifications | USDA Organic, BRC, IFS Food, Halal, Kosher |
Applications in Food Manufacturing
- Cereal and protein bars — the largest use; visible fruit with real bite
- Granola and muesli — clusters, toppings and loose blends
- Bakery — cookies, muffins, breads, fruit loaves and scones
- Breakfast cereals — fruit pieces distributed through the pack
- Trail mixes and snacking — blended with nuts and seeds
- Dairy and desserts — inclusions in yoghurt, ice cream and chilled desserts
Need pricing on Organic Diced and Chopped Dates in bulk? Tell us your volume, specification and destination.
Request a QuoteDiced Dates vs the Other Forms
| Diced dates | Paste | Purée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visible in product | Yes | No | No |
| Adds texture | Yes | No | No |
| Binds the matrix | No | Yes | Partly |
| Free-flowing | When dusted | N/A | N/A |
| Typical use | Bars, granola, bakery | Bars, fillings | Dairy, baby food |
Many bar formulations use both: paste to bind the base and diced pieces for visible fruit and bite.
Packaging and Shipping to the USA and Canada
Organic Diced and Chopped Dates 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 Diced and Chopped Dates 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 Diced and Chopped Dates 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 Diced and Chopped Dates
What cut sizes are available for organic diced dates?
Commonly 6 mm, 8 mm and 10 mm, and other sizes to specification. The right size depends on your product: smaller dice distribute more evenly through a fine matrix, larger pieces read more clearly as visible fruit on a cut face or in a pack photograph.
Should I specify dusted or undusted diced dates?
It is a trade-off. Undusted pieces keep a single-ingredient declaration of "organic dates" but agglomerate, especially in warm conditions, which can block hoppers and depositors. Oat- or rice-dusted pieces flow freely through equipment but add a second ingredient to the deck, and oat dusting introduces a gluten consideration. Decide based on whether your line or your label matters more.
Are the dusted diced dates still certified organic?
Yes, provided the dusting agent is itself organic. We use certified organic oat or rice flour, and the organic certificate covers the dusted product as supplied, so the finished inclusion retains its organic status under the USDA National Organic Program.
Do oat-dusted diced dates contain gluten?
Oats carry a cross-contact risk with gluten-containing grains, so oat-dusted pieces are not suitable where a gluten-free claim is required unless certified gluten-free oat flour is specified. For gluten-free products, specify rice-dusted or undusted pieces and we will confirm the documentation.
Is your diced date product certified organic for the USA and Canada?
Yes, certified under the USDA National Organic Program, which US buyers require and Canada recognises under the US-Canada Organic Equivalency Arrangement. One certification serves both markets, and every organic shipment carries an organic transaction certificate.
How are pit fragments controlled?
Fruit is pitted and then inspected before dicing, with pit-fragment tolerance set in the specification. This is a critical control point for manufacturing customers, and the result for each production lot is reported on the certificate of analysis that ships with it.
What pack formats and shelf life apply?
10 kg cartons, 20 to 25 kg bags and big bags for high volume. Shelf life is typically 12 to 18 months stored cool and dry. Dusted pieces hold their free-flow property best in sealed, moisture-barrier packaging.
Where can I buy organic diced and chopped dates in bulk in the USA or Canada?
Kartago Dates produces organic diced dates in Tunisia from its own plantations and ships directly to bar, bakery and cereal manufacturers across the United States and Canada, FCL or LCL. Request a quote with your cut size, dusting preference, volume and pack format for pricing within 24 business hours.
In short: Organic Diced and Chopped Dates 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.