How to store raisins at home: types of raisins, expiration date

How to prepare for storage

If any dried fruits have traces of pests, wormholes or rotten areas, such dried fruits are thrown away without regret, as they will cause the destruction of all other fruits.

• Storing dried fruits is possible only when they are completely dried. Remaining moisture will lead to the formation of mold and rotting of dried fruits. But you can’t overdry them either - then they will have a bitter taste.
• According to all the rules, dried fruits and berries lose 75% - 85% of moisture.
• If dried fruits have a higher percentage of moisture than necessary, they are dried first outside (1 day), and then in an oven at 60°C - 75°C for at least 1 hour.

How to store raisins, basic conditions

Air temperature

The more negative the air temperature in the storage area, the longer the shelf life of the product. However, be sure to remember that freezing reduces the positive qualities of dried grapes:

1. At +21 – +26C: five weeks.
2. At +14 – +18C: two months.
3. At +9 – +1C: four months.
4. At 0 – -6C: six months.
5. At -4C and below: fifteen months

Humidity

If there is a lot of moisture, the product can quickly become moldy and deteriorate. For this reason, place it in a non-damp and ventilated place.

Suitable moisture: from 65% up to 70%

Lighting

Place dried raisins as far away from direct sunlight as possible

Preparation for use

Before you eat raisins, you should at least wash them. Light amber-looking varieties acquire this color due to treatment with a sulfur compound - a preservative, so they are recommended to be soaked.

If dried fruits have been treated with paraffin or oils that prevent the berries from sticking together, then a persistent glossy film forms on the peel. It should be washed off with hot water at a temperature of about +70 ° C, pouring the berries into a sieve or colander. Then the berries are washed with warm water and only then eaten.

Raisins can be soaked in a weak solution of alcohol, rum and wine. This gives it a pleasant aroma. Berries are added to cheese casseroles, desserts, muffins and other baked goods.

Features of preserving beneficial properties

This is how you can’t store dried fruits.
Where and in what should you store dried fruits?

Most housewives are accustomed to storing this product in the refrigerator. But this is a misconception: cold does not increase the shelf life of raisins. It does not always turn out that the product remains in good condition after deciding to store it in the freezer for a long time. After all, the refrigerator is a place with high humidity, which has a detrimental effect on dried fruits.

To maintain such dried fruit in proper quality, it should be stored in a dark, ventilated area, with a temperature of no more than +10°C, away from heat sources - for example, a stove or radiator.

To avoid the appearance of insects in dried fruits, the recommended temperature should not be exceeded by more than 7°C. Another important element in keeping raisins edible is their packaging. Optimal containers for storing the product:

• glass jar;
• Plastic container;
• paper bag;
• or ceramic containers.

So, you don’t have to close the glass jar with a lid, but cover it with a rag or gauze.

But this is how it is possible!

The paper bag is dense, but at the same time allows air to pass through, which allows the product not to mold or rot. The plastic container also allows air to pass through to prevent the dried fruit from rotting, but the container must be closed with an airtight lid.

If there are no such containers, then dried fruits are stored in ordinary plastic bags, in which several holes are made to allow air to pass through. In this article, we looked at how to preserve raisins at home. These recommendations will help prevent the early expiration of the shelf life of this healthy dried fruit.

Longest storage

How to store raisins at home for a long time? Cold will help ensure the safety of the product and its taste for at least six months. The maximum shelf life is one year. You need to defrost raisins in the quantity needed to prepare any dish or drink. It is recommended to avoid re-freezing. Because the amount of nutrients decreases sharply with each freeze.

You can store dried grapes not only in the refrigerator, but also in a special freezer (if available) and even in the cellar. The shelf life of the last two methods ranges from twelve to eighteen months.

Conditions

You can store dried fruit for the longest time at home in a tightly tied linen bag at a temperature of about 0 °C and low humidity.

If you use a glass jar, then close it with a paper lid, not a plastic one, and tie the neck tightly with thread or an elastic band. This will allow the berries to breathe and prevent mold from forming.

When storing at home, stir the raisins once a week to ensure even distribution of moisture. In general, you shouldn’t stock up on a lot of dried fruits. Buy as much as you can eat in the next 2-3 months.

Tips for storing capricious fruits

Be sure to read:

How to preserve watermelon until the New Year: 7 ways

Four methods for storing raisins

In the kitchen cabinet

• Sort out the dried grapes and pack them into a not very large dry container.
• Cover the dish tightly to prevent insects from leaking in.
• Move to a kitchen cabinet away from direct sunlight and heating units.
• Check the product from time to time to prevent spoilage and use it for food without delay.

Method two: in the refrigerator compartment

• Line a plastic container with a linen rag or thick paper.
• Place the grapes in that place and cover with an airtight lid.
• Place in the refrigerator on the bottom shelf.
• Disadvantages: basically, a regular refrigerator has high humidity, for this reason the product may become damp

Why are raisins healthy?

Raisins are grapes dried in the sun or in the shade. The most interesting thing is that during the drying process the fruits not only do not lose their beneficial properties, but also double them.

Due to the high content of potassium, sodium, and other elements, raisins are useful for diseases of the digestive system, anemia, and heart problems. Calcium and phosphorus contained in dried fruits help strengthen the skeletal system. The high content of carbohydrates, proteins and fats helps restore the body after physical activity or a debilitating illness.

Please note: raisins contain a large amount of sugar, 8 times more than grapes. Therefore, people suffering from diabetes need to consume it in small quantities.

Learning to choose raisins

Often, when you see a huge variety of dried fruits on the counter of a store or market, you just want to buy more of everything. But here you need to understand that all food products have an expiration date, and raisins are no exception. And in order to maximize the shelf life of this type of dried fruit, first of all, it is necessary to take a responsible approach to its choice.

No matter how much you would like to buy dried fruits that are distinguished by their glossy shine and picturesque beauty, you should not rush to do this. There is a huge possibility that sulfur and preservatives were used to create an attractive appearance when drying them. Such raisins will be stored at home for quite a long time, but will not bring any health benefits.

Use the following information when choosing good dried fruits:

• Properly dried raisins should be brown or light brown in color with a matte finish.
• The berries should be elastic and not damaged.
• Choose raisins that are neither too dry nor too wet, as they will quickly spoil at home.
• The raisins should taste sweet without a burnt or sour aftertaste.
• You should not buy dried fruits at market places along the road or parking spaces, since the berries absorb harmful substances, road dust and debris well.

When purchasing in a store, carefully check the integrity of the packaging and the expiration date of the product indicated on it.

Six techniques for choosing raisins for storage

I will tell you how manufacturers cut up dried grapes, with the goal of giving their personal product an impressive presentation. And how to choose dried fruits without chemical compounds.

Dried dried grape fruits are stored safer if the stems are left on them.

Various types of raisins are sold at the bases. For example: light seedless “Sultana”, “Golden”. And “Shigani” is dark, barely black without any seeds.

For this reason, before purchasing and storing the product, carefully read the instructions to help increase the shelf life of raisins at home:

1. Look at the color of dried grapes: the dark type “Shigani” contains a dull, dirty, bluish color. Snow-white dried seedless grapes “Sultana” from honey to light coffee tone (in the case when the grapes are shiny and light, then they are treated with sunflower oil or sulfur dioxide).
2. If possible, bend the dried berries in half. Good quality dried grapes will return to their previous state due to their flexible texture. Dried - it will break off.
3. Select colorless containers in order to analyze the consumer quality of the products.
4. Do not purchase dried fruits by weight in polluted areas (near highways), which can become saturated with exhaust gases or other toxic elements.
5. The day before storage, carefully sort and clean the dried grapes from remaining debris and the presence of spoiled berries.
6. Do not wash or even cut the product, this way it will last longer.

Frozen storage

With the advent of spacious freezers in our lives, it has become common to keep crops frozen. When frozen, dried fruits lose some of their nutrients, but if there is no other option other than freezing, it is important to know how to store dried fruits in the freezer.

No special preparation is required when storing. Dried fruits are placed in small batches in storage containers (food containers or zip-lock bags) and frozen.

Dried fruits can be stored in this way for several years, provided that they are not defrosted and the temperature in the freezer is at -20°C or lower.

Defrosting should only take place at room temperature. It is best to first place the products from the freezer on the top shelf of the refrigerator, and after a few hours at room temperature. You should not defrost the preparations in hot water or the microwave; the fruits will become tasteless and too soft.

Storing dried fruits frozen allows you to extend their shelf life several times. If the temperature in the freezer is constantly maintained at -20 degrees Celsius and no defrosting is carried out, then the shelf life of the berries is practically unlimited.

Another big advantage of freezing over storing in a cupboard is the lack of lighting and direct sunlight.

Vacuum or special freezer bags are used for packaging. The product is placed in small batches. After placing the berries in bags, write the date of packaging and place them in the freezer.

In a refrigerator

Raisins do not spoil for a long time at low temperatures. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 6 months. Place it there only in glass or plastic containers with hermetically sealed lids. If you cover the container with paper, the moisture and smell from the refrigerator will penetrate into the dried fruit. Once a week, take the raisins out for a few minutes and ventilate them, this will help avoid air stagnation.

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Storage containers for drying grapes

On production packaging, the shelf life for dried grapes is indicated from 12 to 18 months. But, if all standards are observed and the container is selected correctly, dried fruit is suitable for consumption for from several months to several years. The simplest type of container to store raisins in an apartment is a linen bag. The following options are also suitable for long-term storage:

1. A closed plastic container located in the refrigerator compartment will help keep the sultanas dry.
2. When storing in a plastic bag on a shelf, it is necessary to make holes for ventilation.
3. Paper envelopes are also good for dried fruits - they do not dry out and are protected from condensation.

Containers for dried grape fruits must be tightly closed to prevent insects from getting inside. During the entire period before use, it is recommended to regularly check the condition of the dryers, pour and mix. This approach will redistribute evaporation from the berries and will help when checking for insects. If bugs or larvae have been identified, the sultanas can be soaked in water, doused with boiling water and used for baking.