We prototyped “dried natsumikan peel” using domestic natsumikan peel

At Agriture, we conducted a prototype of "dried natsumikan peel" using the peel of natsumikan. We finished two shapes—dice (fine cubes) and slice (thin strips)—making an ingredient that can be developed for a wide range of uses such as marmalade raw material, tea, furikake, and cocktail secondary ingredients.

Points of the prototype

Natsumikan is a Japan-origin citrus with strong acidity that combines a distinctive slight bitterness and a refreshing aroma. Its thick peel contains limonene and citral-type essential-oil components, and it has long been enjoyed as an ingredient for marmalade and chinpi-style blends. In this prototype, we dried the peel slowly at low temperature and finished it without adding glucose, coloring agents, or antioxidants.

• Dice (fine cubes): a shape where the white inner pith and the brown outer peel are mixed together. It suits uses where you want to keep a grainy texture, such as kneading into confectionery dough, furikake, and tea blends.
• Slice (thin strips): a shape where peel that has developed a brown-to-orange color is cut into thin strips. It suits uses that make the most of appearance and aroma, such as marmalade raw material, tea, drink garnishes, and bath salts.

Usage ideas

Confectionery / bakery

It shines as a raw material for marmalade-style paste, as a knead-in for madeleines, pound cakes, and scones, and as a secondary ingredient for chocolate. Because a contrast of slight bitterness and sweetness arises, it is a use we are consulted on as a differentiating ingredient for adult-oriented sweets.

Tea / blended tea

Blend it with hojicha, black tea, or herbal tea to make a chinpi-style citrus tea. The aroma rises readily, and you can build combinations that don't disturb but rather bring out the tea leaves' flavor. It is an ingredient that can be incorporated in seasonal limited teas and medicinal (yakuzen)-type blends too.

Seasoning / furikake

As a citrus furikake combined with salt, rock salt, sansho, and chili pepper, as an aroma addition to dressing, and as a base for Japanese-style seasoning. The dice shape has the appeal of a grainy texture that can be sprinkled on and used as is.

Cocktails / craft drinks

It is a use that works as a cocktail garnish, a botanical secondary ingredient for gin and vodka, and a citrus-flavor ingredient for craft beer. The slice shape is also easy to extract, in a form that lets the aroma ride into the liquid readily.

Distinguishing use from yuzu and sudachi

At Agriture, we handle multiple citrus ingredients such as yuzu, sudachi, natsumikan, mikan, and shikuwasa. Because each has a different aroma direction, distinguishing their use to match the product concept is recommended.

Citrus	Aroma characteristics	Suited use
Yuzu	Sweet, gorgeous aroma; mellow acidity	Japanese-food condiment, yuzu ponzu, confectionery
Sudachi	Sharp, refreshing acidity; a cooling sensation	Condiment, cocktail, grilled fish
Natsumikan	Slight bitterness and thick peel; fruity acidity	Marmalade, black-tea blend, peel

Natsumikan peel is characterized by its "thick peel" and "slight bitterness," and is an ingredient chosen when you want to bring out a deep citrus quality that is hard to achieve with yuzu or sudachi. For details, see thedried natsumikan peel product page, and for the powder type,Natsumikan peel powder.

Consult us about OEM prototyping

At Agriture, we also handle the drying and powdering OEM of citrus ingredients and the prototyping of commercial-use raw materials. Prototyping from 1 kg of raw material is possible, and we welcome inquiries about main production from 10 kg. Companies interested in product development that makes the most of domestically grown citrus, starting with natsumikan, can contact us via thedried vegetable / powder OEM inquiry form.

Recommended reading

• Dried natsumikan peel (product page)
• Natsumikan-peel powder (product page)
• Dried yuzu
• Dried sudachi
• Product list