🥃 Raisin

Raisins are dried grapes: the berries lose water in the sun, in the shade or in a dryer, while the sugar stays. According to the OIV, the finished product usually has a moisture content of no more than 18%. Per 100 g, USDA lists about 299 kcal and 65 g of sugars. World production is around 1.3 million t a year.

The OIV distinguishes seedless and seeded raisins. Small currant-type raisins are made from the Black Corinth variety, while seedless ones come, for example, from Sultanina, known as Thompson Seedless. Drying is done in the sun or in the shade, sometimes in mechanical dryers; sun drying often takes 8–10 days. To speed it up, the waxy coating of the berries is broken down with an alkaline solution with oil, and golden raisins are bleached with sulphur dioxide.

By OIV estimates for 2024, the most raisins were produced by Turkey (315 thousand t), the USA (228), China (170), Iran (164) and South Africa (94) — together 75% of the world total. Drying uses 5.2 million t of grapes, 7% of the world harvest.

Partial drying is also used in winemaking: Pedro Ximénez sherry needs to be made from at least 85% juice of wilted grapes, and the grapes for Amarone are dried and not pressed until 1 December.

Why it matters to you. In the EU, an SO2 content above 10 mg/kg has to be stated on the label; golden raisins are usually bleached. Raisins contain almost 80 g of carbohydrates per 100 g, so it is worth keeping the portion in mind. They should not be given to dogs (ASPCA), and whole raisins are a choking risk for children under three.