Black Raisins

Black Raisins

Black Raisins are seedless raisins that have a tart and tangy flavor. They are also called currants.

Raisins

Raisins(Vitis vinifera) are dried grapes that are produced in many regions of the world and can be eaten in raw or in cooked form. They are mostly dried in sun but can also be artificially dehydrated. They depends upon the type and variety of grapes which varies in colours and sizes. Several colours are available in raisins such as black, green and golden etc. There are many types of raisins i.e.

1. Green raisins (Raisins)
2. Golden raisins (Sultana)
3. Black raisin (Currant)

 

Nutritive content of Raisins

Raisins are mostly seedless and contains carbohydrates, sugars, dietary fibers, proteins, vitamins (vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, vitamin B₁, vitamin B₂, vitamin B₃, vitamin B₅, vitamin B₆ and vitamin B₉), minerals (Calcium, Phosphorus, Iron, Potassium, Zinc, Magnesium, Sodium, Manganese and Floride) and low fat content. Theyare sweet due to the presence of sugars which are mostly glucose (28%) and fructose (30%). They have high antioxidants but lower in vitamin C content as compared to grapes. They are free from cholesterol.

Production of Raisins

Raisins are produced commercially by drying harvested grapes. The water inside the grape must be removed by evaporation in order to make raisins. But it is quite difficult as the grape skin contain waxy cuticle which prevents the water from evaporation. However, there are three steps to make raisins commercially which are as follow:

1. Pre-treatment
2. Drying
3. Post-drying

• Pre-treatment: It is one of the necessary step in which a faster water removal is ensured which decreases the rate of browning of raisins. For this purpose, grapes are exposed to dilute alkaline solution or oil emulsions which transfer the water to outer surface of grapes and increases the drying process.
• Drying: It can be done by three methods i.e. sun drying, shade drying and mechanical drying. Sun drying is a cheap process but this process is very slow and will lead to insect infestation, microbial deterioration and environmental contamination in raisins. Therefore, the resulting raisins through this method is of low quality and not desirable. Another method of drying is mechanical drying which is more rapid and safer. The microwave heating is used in this process in which grapes absorb microwave energy resulting in water evaporation from them and therefore, produces puffy raisins.
• Post-drying: After complete drying, the raisins are cleaned with water to remove foreign objects that have embedded in them during drying process. After washing, raisins are dried again so that the moisture is removed completely. They are also spray-coated with tasteless oil in order to prevent clumping during packing and stored in airtight packets or containers that prevent them from humidity, warmth and light.

 

Benefits of Raisins

• Raisins are used as salad toppings, in yogurts, cereals, cookies, breads and desserts.
• They are naturally high in sugar and calories but they are beneficial to health if taken in moderate quantity in diet.
• They are sometimes referred as a nature’s candy.
• Their consumption may lower the blood pressure in individuals that have high blood pressure.
• They are also good for dieting or losing weight because they contains fibers which helps in decreases the levels of cholesterol.
• They are recommended as a snack for weight control and good functioning of digestive system.
• It can increase the levels of antioxidants in the plasma of blood and good for the diabetes type 2 patients.
• They boost up iron in blood and keep bones & joints healthy and strong.
• They are also reported to increase the performance of athletes if eaten by them before their practices.
• They contain phytochemicals such as linoleic acid, linolenic acid and oleanolic acid which removes the bacteria present in the mouth that leads to cavities.

 

Black Raisins

Availability: All year around

Packaging:
Inner packing: Half Kg Polythene Bag
Outer packing: 20Kg Carton

Quantity Available:
500 Metric Tonnes Each