John Myers
The term “raisin” is used as a generic term for all dried grapes. The most important types include the raisins themselves, the currants and the sultanas. They come from different seedless wine varieties and differ in the way they are dried and thus in their appearance and taste:
Raisins / dried grapes are plump, black-blue to blue-brown, large, fleshy and sweet.
Sultanas are quite large, rounded to oval and fleshy. They are characterized by their golden yellow to reddish-brown color and their honey-sweet taste.
Currants have small berries, are reddish-blue or black-violet and have a sweet-sour taste. They are named after a Greek grape variety and are usually not sulphurised.
There are also the Zibeben. These are fruits with seeds that have been dried on the bush.
Raisins and sultanas are sometimes sulphurized after drying. This extends the shelf life and the color is retained. In the case of packaged foods, sulfur dioxide or sulfite must then be specified in the list of ingredients.
