Delivery time of fruit that's eaten pureed, periodically (3,4)

'delivery time' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both related to time as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe there's an association between them I don't understand?

'fruit that's eaten pureed periodically' is the wordplay.
'fruit' becomes 'date' (date is a kind of fruit).
'that's eaten' is an insertion indicator (some letters have eaten others).
'periodically' means one should take alternating letters (letters must be selected 'every so often').
The alternating letters of 'pureed' are 'ued'.
'date' placed around 'ued' is 'DUE DATE'.

'of' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?