Raisins are manufactured by sun and tray drying of various types of grapes (Vitis Vinifera), leading to small and sweetly flavoured, wrinkled texture raisins. Raisins are produced in many regions of the world and may be eaten raw or used in cooking, baking and brewing. Raisins are available in various sizes and colours. They retain the rich flavour of the grapes from which they are made up of, but the drying process concentrates the sugar present, making them taste much sweeter. They are naturally stable and do not get spoilt due to their low moisture.

The raw material required for making raisins is grapes, which should ripen early and get dried easily. They must have a soft texture, should not stick together when stored, should have no seeds and possess a pleasing flavour. Raisin production is best from Thompson Seedless, Sonakka and Rudstalk types of grapes. In India, amongst the major nine grape growing areas, Maharashtra ranks first, in terms of production (accounting for more than 75% of total production and highest productivity) in the country. The grape growing season extends from late March to May, when they are harvested, at optimum sweetness. Bunches of grapes are handpicked, dipped in potassium carbonate solution, dried on trays and sprayed with dehydration oil. Dried raisins are further sent for cleaning, grading, sorting and packing process. Four grades of grapes are popular; A, B, AA and AAA, depending on their colour, uniformity of colour, appearance, moisture and size. Raisins are produced in many regions of the world and are eaten raw or used in cooking, baking and brewing. The term ‘Raisin’ includes currants, sultanas and other forms of dried grapes. Raisins vary in size and show various colours like green, golden, brown or dark, depending on the grape variety used and the drying process used. Special care can be taken while choosing uniform sizes, sorting of healthy fruits & removal of stems. Brown raisins are normally used in bakery products.

Black raisins are made using regular grapes, laid down in the sunlight for one week. These are sweet, dried, seeded or seedless grapes, packed with sugary sweetness. Although small in size, raisins are packed with nutrition, like Vitamin B, iron, potassium and carbohydrates. If stored properly raisins can last for years. Matured and ready-to-eat raisins are packed in air tight bags, kept in a cool environment so as to retain vitamins and other nutritional value.