Food Processing

California Raisins have a moisture content of around 18 percent. Most of the performance bars on the market today also have a moisture content in this range. So the transfer will be minimal either from the raisin to the bar or bar to raisin.

California Raisins have a very mild flavor and tend to pick up other spices and flavors in formulas and impart desirable flavors of their own. This synergy between the raisin and other flavors in the bar may have created this chocolate sensation.

Tea biscuit manufacturers in England and in the USA tend to utilize small or mini small raisins or Zante currants. At one time there was a diced raisin available, but I do not think it is offered anymore except by special order. Typically raisins are diced right out of the case in a commercial food processor. I have never seen this done on large scale operations but this is how it is done in small bakeries.

Some bakers like the idea of crushed raisins in a product to give sweetness and color. But you definitely will see a darkness of the product. Most of the moisture transfer will occur right in the mixing and the remaining product will have a high percentage of raisin skin, which has a lower moisture than the interior of the raisin. This should not add extra problems to the product in small batch goods. For commercial operations, this is an untested area.

Small raisins, mini small raisins, and Zante currants are the choices of biscuit makers.

Remember a few years ago when all of the rage in the bakery world was to include plum or prune paste and lower the fat? Well, if you read into the old editions of the Raisin Report from the ’80s you will see that this was a concept pioneered by the California Raisin Advisory Board. Simply put: the addition of raisin paste gives the product a texture and feel to the mouth that emulates fat. Formulators can reduce or eliminate fat with the inclusion of raisin paste. The concept was used by cookie manufacturers across the USA. From my perspective, raisin paste is superior in the fat replacement area over plum or prune paste from a formulation standpoint: 1. Raisin paste has a mild flavor which blends right into the product without a strong fruit flavor. (and) 2. Plum paste is more acidic and can sometimes affect the yeast in a product.

Substitute on a pound for pound basis. You can add non-fat dry milk if dough is too watery or add water if the dough is too stiff.

High fructose and moisture content helps maintain shelf life. (We do not have controlled experiments to prove superiority over other shortenings, but we guess it is as good or better.) We have an upcoming project in this area.

There are two different products available to the food industry which may work in this product category: 1. Drum dried raisins. Natural raisins are dried to around four percent moisture and powdered. 2. Spray dried or crystallized raisin juice concentrate. This is a powdered version of raisin juice concentrate. Due to the fact that raisins are so hygroscopic, there is normally an anticaking agent added to the product.

We monitor new product introductions monthly, and we see more and more raisin usage in high quality and gourmet specialty products. For example, there is a demand for savory sauces, Middle Eastern foods and other products sweetened and enhanced with raisins.

A real area of potential is our neighbor in the South – Mexico. Although they do produce raisins in the state of Sonora, they have a rising high quality baking industry in the major cities including Mexico City and Monterrey. Some of these same bakery industries have U.S. operations and even own some of the largest bakeries in the USA. And, they are moving to raising product standards on the Mexican market as well. California Raisins fit right into this need.

There are so many places in the world with raisin consuming traditions that are so eager to try California Raisins. In Russia, for example, there are more than 100 different types of breads produced at a typical bakery. Most traditionally have contained raisins. India has a long tradition of raisin usage and produces only a small amount. They use raisins in dishes from chutneys to dosas.

From a taste and appearance standpoint, no. Some will say they are sweeter and taste different but I cannot tell the difference.

The term “natural” has not been defined in FDA’s law (the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act) or in FDA’s regulations. Of course, the word has a meaning to most consumers, and in the absence of an official definition, the common or usual meaning prevails for regulatory purposes. To many consumers, the term “all natural” would mean that a food is made without chemical food additives or refined ingredients. The Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA which regulates meat and poultry products, has established policies on the use of claims on food labels, including natural and organic claims.

No. The labeling act of 1990 is very specific in what we can say about food products. We recommend that a manufacturer check any wording and claim with a labeling or packing attorney. You can also research these questions at https://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/ USDA Organic Standards.

The California raisin is laid on clean paper or plastic trays in the sunshine right in the rows of the vineyards. They stay in this state until they reach a moisture content of around 15 percent. At this time, they are what we call field grade raisins. This means they are dry and quite hard and have a firm skin. Right after harvesting, the field grade raisins are “blown out” to remove any field materials. Then they are placed in wooden bins until they are ready to be processed. Because of the hard dry nature of the field grade raisin, it is possible to rigorously wash the raisin to remove dirt, sand or foreign materials. Visual and mechanical high tech inspections remove any materials or substandard raisins from the process.

Raisins contain a naturally occurring organic acid called propionic acid. This substance serves as a natural mold inhibitor and has been proven to decrease mold growth in bakery products. This is especially interesting in flat breads like pitas, tortillas and others which naturally have high moisture contents and are susceptible to mold.

1000-2000 raisins/lb (2,000-2,400/kg)

25, 27.5 and 30 lb containers (11.3, 12.5 and 13.6 kg)

At 25° C, water activity is 0.51-0.56 at 13-15% moisture and 0.55-0.62 at 15-18% moisture.