Most dried fruits keep their same name, but not the grape. The dried form of the grape, known and loved throughout history, has its own unique name: the raisin. Raisins are made by dehydrating grapes in a process that either involves the heat of the sun or a mechanical process of oven drying.

Creating raisins by drying grapes has been practiced since ancient times. Raisins were known to have been produced in Persia and Egypt over 4,000 years ago. Raisins were also highly prized by the ancient Romans, who adorned their places of worships with them and used them as barter currency and as prizes for the winners of sporting events

The San Joaquin valley in California, where raisins have been cultivated since the 1800's, is the largest commercial producer of raisins. It is told that in response to a heat wave in 1873 which destroyed a large part of the grape harvest, a grower took dried grapes to market in San Francisco where they were met with great response and demand, beginning the rise in popularity of the raisin in America.

Raisins are sweet due to their high concentration of sugars, which range from about 67% to 72% by weight, most of which is fructose and glucose. Raisins, like prunes and apricots, are also high in certain antioxidants and a top source of the trace mineral, boron. As with all dried fruits, raisins are low in vitamin C content.

Raisin juice concentrate is an excellent sweetener and humectant to add to bakery items to extend shelf life and provide natural browning color when baked.

Raisins also contain significant levels of proprionic acid, which is a natural mold retardant, which helps to extend shelf life in baked goods..

Encore Fruit Marketing can provide an excellent source of raisin juice concentrate to help consumer products deliver one of the 5 A Day fruit servings.

Raisin juice concentrate is carefully processed from fresh, dried raisins to provide the essential nutrition, flavor and color, in a convenient, ready to use ingredient form for processed beverage and food applications. Raisin juice concentrate is an excellent ingredient to add a fruit serving to your retail label for beverages, cakes, pies, pastries, sauces, jellies and other processed foods like nutrition bars and snacks.

Contact Encore Fruit Marketing today for product samples and information on raisin juice concentrate at www.encorefruit.com or Click Here to use our convenient Contact Form.