whats the deal on raisins...

[sarahrjm]

they are all sun dried I assume?

Just get organic?

Probably a simple answer!

[gs4life]

...depending on the brand...i've contacted some companies and stores and have been told that even some organic raisins have been heated to very high temps to dry. also, many times oil is added so that they won't stick together.

[sarahrjm]

ohhh nooo... that stinks!

my raisins just say that there have been no preservatives added...hmm

[rawstrength]

www.rawfromthefarm.com has really raw raisins - best raisins I've ever eaten

[sarahrjm]

Thanks Rawstrength!!!!! ill check that site out!!

IM kind of ......Mad, that raisins that say they are sun dried arent .........

[sarahrjm]

The sell "Thompsons" raisins at rawfromthefarm.com I can get those in my local store........Im assuming that they are the same thing?

[Eva]

Many raisins in local stores will actually say they are sun-dried. I have not had a problem finding them, but I do not buy them unless they specifically say they are sun dried, and often they don't. When I was close to a Trader Joe's, I remember they had two different raisin options in their dried fruit section. One was pricer (organic, sun dried), the other was about half the price or 2/3 of the organic; both were reasonably enough priced.

I hope that helps. I love using raisins in recipes where I want just a touch of sweetness that isn't overpowering. :)

[rawstrength]

"Thompsons" is the name of the type of grape used to make the raisin. The ones in the store might not be raw.

[Eva]

"Thompsons" is the name of the type of grape used to make the raisin. The ones in the store might not be raw.

Hey that was the brand they had at TJ's! What else would make them not raw if they are sundried and nothing is added??

[sarahrjm]

You learn something new everyday!!!

[MelissaO]

www.rawfromthefarm.com has really raw raisins - best raisins I've ever eaten

Rawstrength.....thanks for sharing this great site. They have sea veggies on their site that I may place an order for.

I can get sundried raw raisins around here but may also order from them to see if their is a difference in the taste factor.

[rawstrength]

Hey that was the brand they had at TJ's! What else would make them not raw if they are sundried and nothing is added??

"Thompson" is not a brand, it is a type of grape, like "granny smith" is a type of apple.

[Eva]

"Thompson" is not a brand, it is a type of grape, like "granny smith" is a type of apple.

Thanks for the correction for not using the correct word. Do you know what else would make them not raw (the previous question to you)?

[Dimond]

Just like with all raw foods, it depends on whether they use chemicals when growing the grapes. Then once they're removed from trees, there are different processes that can further make them processed depending on what methods they use. Often they're put in enclosures made with polyethylene sheeting that hold fumigation gasses, which are applied periodically to inhibit insect growth. The term "sun dried" is basically meaningless as a raw term on it's own. Like Sun Maid which is far from raw, though they claim they are.

Sulfur dioxide is usually the main ingredient to avoid in dried fruit.

[Linda1970]

Just like with all raw foods, it depends on whether they use chemicals when growing the grapes. Then once they're removed from trees, there are different processes that can further make them processed depending on what methods they use. Often they're put in enclosures made with polyethylene sheeting that hold fumigation gasses, which are applied periodically to inhibit insect growth. The term "sun dried" is basically meaningless as a raw term on it's own. Like Sun Maid which is far from raw, though they claim they are.

Sulfur dioxide is usually the main ingredient to avoid in dried fruit.

Sun Maid is not raw? I just got some organic raisins by Sun Maid from Costco. The packaging says that it's sundried. I also e-mailed the company, and they said that the only exposure to heat is sun drying.

[TaupeRawMan]

Thompsons raisins are from green Thompson grapes. Flame raisins are from red Flame grapes.

[wiste]

Do you know what else would make them not raw?

I was dehydrating some whole grapes in the dehydrator and noticed it was taking a really long time (days). On further research, to make it quicker to dehydrate whole grapes, the grapes may be boiled for 2-3 minutes to 'craze' the skin and make them ready for drying. Otherwise, it takes a couple of weeks to dehydrate at 'sun-dried' temperatures. I do not believe boiling the grapes is the case with Sun-maid.

Sun-maid's site indicates

During drying, the hot sun bakes the vineyard floor, producing intense ground temperatures that caramelize the sugars in the grapes enough to give California raisins their distinctive flavor and color.
This does not sound raw.

[SheLovesToEat]

raw from the farm dried fruit is the absolute BEST! i have never had such good raisins in my life. they are raw and wonderful and worth the price.

[jacsam]

I have a friend that is raw and she and her husband actually make their own raisins. She says that they are sooo easy because all you have to do is pick them and them throw them in the dehydrator or if it's warm enough you can just do it outside on screens. She said they were delicious and they have their own grape vines so they actually get enough for the whole winter.