The United States and Turkey are responsible for half of the world’s raisins, Iran and China for another one-fourth. Nearly all U.S. grapes dried for raisins are grown in California’s San Joaquin Valley.
Believe it or not, we actually have a government agency called the Raisin Administrative Committee (its website is raisins.org) that controls the price and volume of raisins sold in the U.S. market. The Raisin Committee was created back in 1930s to prop up prices for farm products during the depths of the Great Depression.
The Raisin Committee, which is made up of growers and handlers, decides each year how many raisins can be sold by each grower to consumers and how many are placed in “reserve tonnage.” The reserve raisins are donated to schools or sold overseas, and the growers are paid nothing.
Several raisin farmers have sued over what they call a “seizure” of their grapes, and after lower courts threw out the case, the U.S. Supreme Court a few months ago ruled unanimously (how often does that happen?) that the lower courts must consider the merits of the farmers’ claims. Stay tuned as the battle of the raisin unfolds.
Choosing organic raisins is important for a number of reasons. The USDA has detected residue of 26 pesticides on non-organic raisins, including eight known carcinogens and 11 suspected hormone disruptors.
Nearly all non-organic grapes are sprayed with a hormone called gibberellin to increase berry size. They are also sprayed with gas to accelerate drying.
If you prefer golden raisins, it is doubly important to choose organic, because non-organic raisins get their golden color from sulfur dioxide treatment. Meanwhile, the darker non-organic raisins have very high sulfate concentrations.
The good news is that organic raisins are widely available. The best-selling name-brands have organic versions, and MOON Co-op offers three varieties of organic raisins in bins: Thompson, Flame, and Sultana.
Thompson is by far the most popular grape dried for raisins. When you think of a “typical” raisin, it’s a Thompson.
Flame, a hybrid of several grapes including Thompson and Cardinal, has a sweeter, more intense flavor than a Thompson. Flame is a good choice for a sweet tooth looking for a healthier substitute for candy.
Sultana is a lighter golden colored grape. The raisin is drier with a less intense flavor than Thompson. It’s good in recipes when you don’t want an intensely sweet raisin to overwhelm other flavors.
Why not purchase some of each and decide which you like best?
Organic Thompson, Flame, and Sultana raisins are available in the bulk food section of MOON Co-op, Oxford's consumer-owned full-service grocery featuring natural, local, organic, sustainable, and Earth-friendly products. The store, located at 512 S. Locust St. in Oxford, is open to the public every day. Visit MOON on the web at www.mooncoop.coop.
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