Traceability & Preparation

Great marmalade is all about the peel. Because the skin of the fruit is a core ingredient in our preserves, we only use reputable suppliers, and we are meticulous about preparation.

As a small business it would be unsustainable for me to buy organic unwaxed Seville oranges because they would spoil before I could make them into marmalade. Wax is applied to citrus fruits to prevent moisture loss and spoiling. Only substances on the UK official register of approved food additives can be used.

Traceability

We source our citrus through two trusted, independent Devon fresh produce merchants: Frank H. Mann (Torquay) Ltd and Simmons Fruit Sales of South Molton. While both suppliers champion Southwest growers for domestic produce, it is not possible to grow citrus fruit commercially in the UK yet! They therefore supply imported citrus and all boxes have to display point of origin.

All imported citrus must comply with Great Britain Maximum Residue Levels (GB MRLs) statutory limits. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) sets and updates these limits under the retained Regulation (EC) No 396/2005. The Pesticide Residues in Food (PRiF) committee regularly tests imported citrus (like Oranges and Lemons) for common post-harvest fungicides like imazalil, thiabendazole, and fludioxonil to ensure they fall below the legal parts-per-million (ppm) threshold.

Meticulous Preparation in Our Kitchen

Depending on the time of year and the specific variety of marmalade we are making, we work with both waxed and unwaxed citrus fruit. To ensure absolute purity and the highest quality marmalade, we treat every single piece of fruit with the utmost care:

Unwaxed Fruit: Used for its natural, unblemished skin, this fruit undergoes a rigorous freshwater rinse to remove any natural grove dust or debris.

Waxed Fruit: For fruit utilizing natural food-grade protective waxes, we perform a thorough manual wash. Every single piece of fruit is individually scrubbed by hand in warm water to completely strip away the surface wax and any lingering residues before it is zested or sliced.

We aim ensure that every jar of our marmalade is as pure, safe, and flavourful as possible.