Dehydrated onion flakes and kibbled onion from India, tested before they ship
The largest cut, for soups, ready meals and toppings where the onion should be seen. We find the plant, set size and colour limits and test every lot before loading.
Flakes are the dried onion slices from the belt dryer, and kibbled onion is the same flake broken and sieved into large pieces, often quoted around 8 to 20 mm. Makers of dry soups, meal kits, ready meals and retail jars buy them because the consumer sees and bites real onion. The main risks are colour and breakage: a dark piece shows in a clear broth, and flakes break in handling, so a lot that leaves the plant in range can arrive with too many fines. We work for you, not the factory: we fix the size, colour and fines limits in writing, test each lot at an NABL-accredited lab and watch how the cartons are packed and loaded.
Specification
What goes into a dehydrated onion flakes and kibbled onion spec
| What to set | What buyers usually write, for illustration |
|---|---|
| Particle size | A main range in millimetres, for example around 8 to 20 mm or a narrower band such as 10 to 15 mm, with a maximum percentage on the top sieve |
| Fines and breakage | A maximum percentage through the bottom sieve, and agreement on whether size is judged at loading or on arrival |
| Moisture | A maximum of around 5 to 6 percent, with the oven method named and tested on the packed lot |
| Colour | White to off-white for white onion, a named grade with a sealed reference sample, and a limit on dark, brown or scorched pieces |
| Foreign matter | Limits on skin, root, stalk and black particles, and nil for stones, glass, plastic and metal, with metal detection records |
| Microbiology | Limits for total plate count, coliforms, E. coli, yeast and mould by named ISO methods, set for treated or untreated product |
| Salmonella | Absent in 25 g on every lot, with no release until results are in |
| Treatment | Untreated or steam sterilised, and no ethylene oxide (ETO), tested for ETO and 2-chloroethanol |
| Pesticide residues | A multi-residue screen against your market's limits, for example EU MRLs |
These are typical trade figures for illustration only, so set your own limits for your recipe, market and grade.
Uses
Where buyers use it
Dry soup mixes
Kibbled onion gives visible pieces in soups that are simmered. In an instant cup that only gets hot water for a few minutes, large pieces can stay firm, so test a smaller cut alongside.
Ready meals, stews and meal kits
Large pieces soften fully in a cooked process and give a homemade look and bite. Many ready meal makers start from kibbled or large chopped.
Retail jars and food service
Dried flakes sold as a cupboard ingredient for home cooks and kitchens, where an even colour grade and few broken pieces matter most.
Rehydrated toppings
Soaked flakes for burger, hot dog and meat toppings, where the consumer bites a real piece of onion and colour defects are easy to see.
Ordering
What to write into the order
- The form and a millimetre range, not the word flakes or kibbled alone
- Oversize and fines limits, the sieve sizes and the sampling point
- White, red or pink onion, the colour grade and a sealed reference sample
- A limit on dark, brown or scorched pieces, judged against the reference
- Maximum moisture and the test method
- Untreated or steam sterilised, and no ETO treatment
- Carton strength, liner type and net weight per carton, to limit breakage
- A retained sample of each lot, kept by both sides
Shipping
HS code, packing and loads
HS code
Onion flakes and kibbled onion fall under HS 0712.20, dried onions. The Indian 8-digit line is 0712 20 00. Your customs broker confirms the full code for your country.
Packing
Corrugated cartons with sealed polyethylene liners, often double, are the usual choice, because they protect large pieces from crushing and limit fines. Bags fit more but protect flakes less.
Container load
Flakes are bulky and fill a 20 ft container before its weight limit, often well under 10 tonnes, so many buyers use a 40 ft. Ask for the plant's last actual loading of the same form and carton.
Shelf life
Suppliers commonly state 12 to 24 months in sealed packs stored cool and dry. Flakes are the most forgiving form, but heat and humidity still darken them over time.
Questions
Dehydrated onion flakes and kibbled onion: common questions
What is the difference between onion flakes and kibbled onion?
Flakes are the dried slices from the dryer, broken into irregular pieces. Kibbled onion is those flakes broken and sieved into a large, more even size band. Names differ between plants, so order by a millimetre range rather than by name.
What size is kibbled onion?
There is no official standard. Trade ranges are often quoted around 8 to 20 mm, and some plants sell narrower bands such as 10 to 15 mm. Set your own range with limits on oversize and fines.
Why do onion flakes arrive with more fines than the sample?
Large dried pieces break during packing, handling and transport. Strong cartons, careful stacking and a fines limit checked at loading help, and a retained sample shows where the change happened.
Should onion flakes be steam sterilised?
If the flakes go into food that is cooked thoroughly afterwards, such as a simmered soup or stew, untreated flakes can suit, if your food safety plan allows it. For products that are not cooked again, most buyers ask for steam treatment. Never accept ETO fumigation instead.
Do you sell dehydrated onion flakes?
No. Creston & Co is a sourcing agent. You buy directly from the plant we help you choose, and we work for you: audits, lab tests, inspection and loading supervision, for a fee agreed in writing.
Other dehydrated onion forms
Compare the other forms
- Dehydrated chopped onion
- Dehydrated minced onion
- Dehydrated onion granules
- Dehydrated onion powder
- Dehydrated red onion
- Dehydrated pink onion
- Toasted and roasted onion
- Fried onion
Buyer guides
Read more on dehydrated onion flakes and kibbled onion
- Kibbled vs chopped vs minced onion: which cut to buy4 min
- Kibbled onion, minced onion and garlic flakes: size specs explained3 min
- What are the standard particle sizes for each onion form?3 min
- What forms of dehydrated onion are available: flakes, kibbled, chopped, minced, granules, powder?3 min
- What is Grade A versus Grade B dehydrated onion?3 min
- What causes browning in dehydrated onion, and how is it prevented?3 min
- How many tonnes of dehydrated onion fit in a 20 ft container?3 min
- How should dehydrated onion be packed: cartons with liners or bags?3 min
Start with a free 20-minute sourcing call.
Tell us the product, the spec and the volume. We'll tell you what it should cost from India, what to test for and where the risks are. No fee, no obligation, and you keep the notes.