Raisins

Raisins are dried grapes. Dried fruit is fruit that has been dried, either naturally or through use of a machine such as a Food dehydrator. For the Tokyo University supercomputer see Gravity Pipe. GRAPE, or GRA phics P rogramming E nvironment is They are produced in many regions of the world, such as the United States, Australia, Chile, Argentina, Mexico, Greece, Turkey, India, Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Togo, Jamaica, South Africa, Southern and Eastern Europe. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, TOGO was a Japanese roller coaster design company famous for inventing the Stand-up roller coaster. Jamaica (ˈdʒəˈmeɪkə} is an Island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length and as much as in width situated in the Caribbean Sea. The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa The term Southern Europe can have four definitions geographical political climatic phytogeographic Eastern Europe is a general term that refers to the Geopolitical region encompassing the easternmost part of the European continent. Raisins may be eaten raw or used in cooking and baking. Baking is the technique of prolonged Cooking of Food by dry heat acting by conduction, and not by radiation, normally in an Oven,

Etymology

The word raisin dates back to Middle English and is a loanword from Old French; in Old French and French, raisin means "grape. Middle English is the name given by Historical linguistics to the diverse forms of the English language spoken between the Norman invasion of A loanword (or loan word) is a word directly taken into one Language from another with little or no translation Old French was the Romance Dialect continuum spoken in territories which span roughly the northern half of modern France and parts of modern Belgium French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people " while a raisin in French is called a raisin sec, a "dry grape. " The Old French word in turn developed from Latin racemus, "a bunch of grapes," The origin of the Latin word is unclear. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome.

Varieties

See also: Dried vine fruit

Raisin varieties depend on the type of grape used. Dried vine fruit is a term given to all the varieties of dried Grape produced Seedless varieties include Thompson Seedless (Sultana) and Flame. The sultana (also called the sultanina or sultani) is a type of White, Seedless Grape of Turkish or Iranian origin Raisins are typically sun-dried, but may also be "water-dipped," or dehydrated. "Golden raisins" are made from Thompsons, treated with Sulfur Dioxide (SO₂) , and flame dried to give them their characteristic color. Raisins are dried Grapes They are produced in many regions of the world such as the United States, Australia, Chile, A particular variety of seedless grape, the Black Corinth, is also sun dried to produce Zante currants, mini raisins that are much darker in color and have a tart, tangy flavour. Black Corinth grapes ( Vitis vinifera) Black Corinth is a seedless ancient Greek grape variety prized for its super sweet pea-sized seedless black fruit The Zante currant ( Vitis vinifera) or currant is a variety of Small, Sweet, seedless Grape named after Corinth (currant and Several varieties of raisins are produced in Asia and are only available at ethnic grocers. Green raisins are produced in Iran. Raisins have a variety of colors (green, black, white, purple) and sizes.

Regional variations

In the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, the word raisin is reserved for the dried large dark grape, with sultana being a dried large white grape, and currant being a dried small Black Corinth grape.

Nutritional value

Raisins are about 60% sugars by weight, most of which is fructose. Sugar is a class of edible Crystalline substances mainly Sucrose, Lactose, and Fructose. Fructose (also levulose or laevulose) is a simple reducing Sugar ( Monosaccharide) found in many foods and is one of the three Raisins are also high in antioxidants, and are comparable to prunes and apricots in this regard. An antioxidant is a Molecule capable of slowing or preventing the oxidation of other molecules A prune is any of various of various Plum species mostly Prunus domesticus or European Plum (commonly referred to as a Sugar Plum The Apricot ( Prunus armeniaca, "Armenian plum" in Latin syn

Sweetness

The natural sugar in grapes crystallizes during the drying process

Raisins are sweet due to their high concentration of sugars. Sugar is a class of edible Crystalline substances mainly Sucrose, Lactose, and Fructose. Sweet is one of the five Basic tastes and is almost universally regarded as a pleasurable experience If they are stored for a long period, the sugar inside the fruit crystallizes. Crystallization is the (natural or artificial process of formation of solid Crystals precipitating from a homogeneous --> identical Solution This makes the fruit gritty, but does not affect its usability. To de-crystalize raisins, they can be soaked in liquid (alcohol, fruit juice, or boiling water) for a short period, dissolving the sugar. In Chemistry, an alcohol is any Organic compound in which a Hydroxyl group ( - O[[hydrogen H]]) is bound to a Carbon

See also

• Blackcurrant
• Zante currant
• Redcurrant
• Sultana
• Grape and raisin toxicity in dogs
• Raisin Bran
• Snap-dragon, a Victorian parlour game that involved raisins being plucked from a bowl of burning brandy. The Blackcurrant ( Ribes nigrum) is a species of Ribes Berry native to central and northern Europe and northern Asia. The Zante currant ( Vitis vinifera) or currant is a variety of Small, Sweet, seedless Grape named after Corinth (currant and The Red currant ( Ribes rubrum) is a member of the genus Ribes in the Gooseberry family Grossulariaceae, native to parts of western The sultana (also called the sultanina or sultani) is a type of White, Seedless Grape of Turkish or Iranian origin Grape and raisin toxicity in the dog is a potential health threat to Dogs that have eaten Grapes or Raisins It can cause the dog to develop Acute renal Raisin Bran is manufactured by several companies under a variety of brand names including General Mills ' Total Raisin Snap-dragon (also known as Flap-dragon, Snapdragon, or Flapdragon) was a Parlour game popular from about the 16th to 19th centuries Culture The Victorian fascination with novelty resulted in a deep interest in the relationship between modernity and cultural continuities A parlor game is a group Game played indoors During the Victorian era in Great Britain and in the United States, these games were extremely Brandy (from brandywine, derived from Dutch brandewijn — “burnt wine” is a spirit produced by distilling Wine

References

• C. D. Wu, J. F. Rivero-Cruz, M. Zhu, B. Su, A. D. Kinghorn (2005). "Antimicrobial Phytochemcals in Thompson Seedless Raisins (Vitis vinifera L.) Inhibit Dental Plaque Bacteria". American Society for Microbiology meeting. June 5–9. Atlanta.  

External links

• Raisins. Cooking. com. Retrieved on 2005-07-14. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1223 - Louis VIII becomes King of France upon the death of his father Philip II of France.
• Varietal & Nutritional Info. Raisins. org. Retrieved on 2007-04-19. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1012 - Martyrdom of Alphege in Greenwich London. 1529 - At the Second Diet of Speyer
• The World's Healthiest Foods: Raisins