What is dried thyme?
Dried thyme is produced by drying the leaves of the thyme plant after harvest, separating them from the stems and sieving. Most of what is traded as "kekik" in Türkiye is botanically Origanum (Turkish oregano, Origanum onites); Thymus species (garden thyme) have a different aroma profile. The aroma comes from carvacrol and thymol in the volatile oil. Türkiye supplies a large share of world oregano exports; the Aegean and Mediterranean regions are the main growing areas.
How is it produced?
Plants are harvested at flowering, dried in shade or in dryers to below 12% moisture, the leaves are separated from the stems and graded by sieve size (leaf, cut leaf, ground). Steam-treated grades are common for microbiological safety. Sieves and colour sorters remove stones, soil and foreign plant material.
Applications in food manufacturing
Pizza, pasta and tomato sauces; meat and chicken marinades; fermented sausage and meatball mixes; bakery and cracker toppings; olive, cheese and pickle seasonings; spice blends and herbal tea products. Typical usage in the finished product is 0.2–1%.
Technical properties and quality criteria
Check volatile oil (≥ 1.5–2.5%; higher in Origanum), moisture (≤ 12%), stem ratio (≤ 5%), sieve size (2–6 mm leaf or ground), colour (green-grey; yellow-brown indicates old crop or sun damage), total and acid-insoluble ash, microbiological values and pesticide residues. The botanical species (Origanum/Thymus) should be stated in the specification.
What to check when buying
Choose the species by application: Origanum for pizza and sauces, Thymus for some European recipes. Leaf integrity and colour matter for appearance; sample evaluation is recommended. New-crop product gives brighter colour and higher volatile oil. Obtain the specification, lot-specific COA, origin document and, on request, a pesticide report with the quotation.
Wholesale sourcing: price and minimum order
The wholesale price of thyme is set by crop size, species, sieve size, stem ratio, sterilisation and order quantity. The typical minimum order is one pallet (500 kg); as thyme is bulky, pallet weight may be lower. PERDIST identifies the grade suited to your application, compares sources and provides a written quotation with documents.
Frequently asked questions
Need current pricing, minimum order, origin or technical documents for this ingredient? Tell us the application and monthly quantity; we reply with a written quotation within one business day.