Goji Berries - RAW in the UK

[MysticTree]

I was in Sainsburys this morning and saw whitworths goji berries. There was nothing to suggest that they weren't raw so I bought a pack and emailed the company. This is their response .....


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Hi Georgina

Goji berries are not processed using heat just dried in the open in the country of origin before being cleaned, etc., ready for export. Your suggestion concerning a RAW range has been forwarded to the Marketing and Commercial Departments of this company.

Sandy Letman
Consumer Services Manager


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Do you think "being cleaned" would make them "non-raw"?

Georgina

[MysticTree]

I emailed them again and the cleaning process doesn't involve any heat or washing. So it seems that they are RAW even though it doesn't say on the packet. Good news :D

Georgina

[lily]

Yes, excelllent news! Thanks for letting us know the results of your 'sleuthing'.

lily

[MysticTree]

Let's hope they are a bit proactive and start selling a "range" :p

I have concluded that Goji Berries taste like my mother's sultana scone mix -- uncooked! They remind me of my childhood and baking sessions at my mother's knee!!!!

Georgina

[shooting star]

I don't understand how they clean them! If they don't use heat or washing what do they use?

Have you asked them specifically what chemicals they use? Also are they organic and have they been sprayed with pesticides, fungicides, anything during growth?

It might be worth another ask just incase they are being economical with the truth! (i.e they aren't washed but rinsed in chemicals!)

(Hoping it is a good answer as I'm in the UK too)

[Veganmoon]

Im going to check these whitworths goji berries out.
Thanks for the post:)

[MysticTree]

I don't understand how they clean them! If they don't use heat or washing what do they use?

Have you asked them specifically what chemicals they use? Also are they organic and have they been sprayed with pesticides, fungicides, anything during growth?

It might be worth another ask just incase they are being economical with the truth! (i.e they aren't washed but rinsed in chemicals!)

(Hoping it is a good answer as I'm in the UK too)

As stated before, they aren't organic. I asked about the cleaning and it's just grading the berries through sieves and hand removing bits of twigs etc. No washing or chemicals in the cleaning process.

Georgina

[crystalmoon]

This is good to know, thanks.
My local Holland & Barratt has half price gojis at the moment, may be worth checking if your local branch has the same offer on.

I really love to rehydrate my gojis in freshly made fruit juices..sooooooo yum!

[sport]

I buy mine from Shazzie. I expect her to be more carefull in sourcing them than the supermarkets would be.

[lily]

Yep, I like Shazzie's, too: they're the best quality I've found in the UK. But nevertheless it's encouraging to know that it is now at least possible to buy raw goji berries in mainstream supermarkets...

lily