About Dried Fruit: Dried Fruits

Dried fruits are produced from only the ripest fresh fruits and are the result of reducing the moisture content of these fresh fruits, through sun-drying. Dried fruits are classified into two groups; vine fruits and tree fruits.

1. VINE FRUITS

These are, quite simply, dried grapes and comprise sultanas, raisins and currants. Vine fruits make up over three-quarters of the total dried fruit volume:

SULTANA
The sultana is a soft, juicy, amber coloured fruit with a very sweet flavour. It is largely produced from a seedless white grape and varies in shape from round to oval according to variety. The majority are produced from the Thompson seedless grape, first developed in Kew Gardens. This grape contains 18-20 per cent fruit sugar, which is essential in retaining a plump fruit after evaporation of its water content.

The sultana has its own distinctive sun-drying treatment which varies depending on origin, but which differentiates it from a raisin: One method is to spray the grape with a vegetable based drying oil, pre sun-drying. This allows the fruit's water content to evaporate more quickly when exposed to the sun. The actual sun-drying process can also vary, depending on country of origin. One method is to sun-dry the clusters of fruit on racks in partial shade. Another method is to place the fruit in the open sun on special shaped concrete drying areas. Drying can take from a week to ten days until the moisture content has been reduced sufficiently (to around 16 per cent) to produce succulent sultanas.

The fruit is then taken to the factory for processing where it is washed and cleaned and given a fine coating of vegetable oil. This keeps the fruit moist and prevents the berries sticking together. In addition, a sweet-sour tasting golden sultana is also cultivated and is especially distinctive as it has a bright yellow colouring.

Main producing countries: Turkey, Australia, Greece, Iran, South Africa

RAISIN
The word raisin comes form the Latin racemus, which means "a cluster of grapes or berries". The raisin is dark brown and wrinkled with a sweet mellow flavour. It is produced from unseeded or seeded, white or black grapes. The vast majority are, however, produced from the seedless white Thompson grape.

A grape becomes a raisin when its moisture content has been reduced, through sun-drying, to around 16 per cent. The grape is harvested when ripened to its fullest and is picked in clusters. At this stage the methods implemented for sun-drying vary greatly in accordance with the different countries of origin. Methods used include drying the grapes on clean paper trays between the vines, or placing the grapes on special concrete drying areas. The clusters are spread evenly and turned occasionally so that each grape gets the necessary amount of sunshine required. The fruit lays in the full glaze of the sun, as opposed to partial shade, for 2-3 weeks until the grape's moisture content has been reduced to around 16 per cent into the caramel brown raisin we are familiar with. The raisins, as with sultanas, are packed to storage bins to keep the fruit moist, and are washed and oiled before export.

Main producing countries/regions: California, South Africa, Afghanistan, Chile, Australia

CURRANT
Currants are dried, black, seedless grapes. All currants derive from the same variety of grape known as the Corinth and this is from where the word currant originated. The methods for sun-drying currants vary according to the climate and soil of the region, but keeping the grape in the shade for the first part of the drying period is said to produce the best quality currant. Currants are graded in two sizes, small and medium - the smaller currant is used primarily in the bakery trade whereas currants bought form grocery and health stores are invariably the medium size variety.

Main producing countries: Greece is responsible for 89% of the world currant crop. Other producing countries include South Africa, Australia and USA.

2. TREE FRUITS

These have, in recent years, become increasingly popular and more widely available.

APPLE
Peeled, cored, sliced; the apple is cut into rings and has a chewy texture and a tangy flavour. Origin: USA, Italy, China, Chile, South Africa.

APRICOT
Available either halved or whole, sharp or sweet, it has a rich exotic flavour. Origin: Turkey, USA, Australia, South Africa, Iran.

DATE
The date, renowned for its great sustaining properties, is from one of the most ancient and bountiful trees, the date palm. Origin: Pakistan, Iraq, Iran, Algeria, USA.

FIG
One of the first ever fruits to be cultivated; the dried fig is sweet, plump and yellow brown in colour. Origin: Turkey, USA, Greece.

PEACH
Firm or tender, but fleshy and with a slightly sharp flavour, peaches are sold either in halves or slices. Origin: USA, Australia, South Africa, China.

PEAR
With a clear golden colour, dried pears are sweet and chewy with a pleasant granular texture. Origin: USA, South Africa, Australia, China, Chile.

PRUNE
A prune is a rich, dark dried plum, available whole or pitted. Origin: California, Eastern Europe, France, South America, South Africa, Australia.