golden raisins | whatsinit

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Golden raisins are mechanically or artificially dried grapes — most commonly the Thompson Seedless or Sultana variety — treated with sulfur dioxide (SO₂) to prevent oxidative browning and preserve their characteristic light golden color. They are used as a naturally sweet ingredient in baked goods, cereals, trail mixes, salads, and confections.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

Golden raisins are broadly safe for the general adult population and provide natural sugars, dietary fiber, iron, and potassium. The principal safety concern is residual sulfur dioxide (SO₂) from processing, which can range from approximately 250 to 4,000 ppm and poses a risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reactions in sulfite-sensitive individuals, particularly asthmatics. Regulatory agencies in the US, EU, and India require mandatory labeling of sulfites above defined threshold levels; multiple FDA recalls have been issued for golden raisins marketed without sulfite declarations.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Approved	Approved as a whole food (dried fruit/sultanas) under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives. Sulfur dioxide (E220) is listed as a permitted additive for dried grapes/sultanas with a specified maximum residual level. Mandatory E-number labeling of E220/sulfites applies wherever added.source
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India)	Approved	Golden raisins are regulated as a dried fruit under section 2.3.47 of the Food Safety and Standards (Food Product Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011. FSSAI's official analytical manual specifies dedicated SO₂ test methods for golden raisins, reflecting their recognized status as an SO₂-treated product.source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)	Approved	Approved as a whole food (dried fruit). Under 21 CFR 101.100(a)(4), added sulfiting agents must be declared on the label whenever present at ≥10 ppm in the finished product. FDA Import Alert 99-21 (updated 2023-07-28) authorizes detention without physical examination of golden raisins bearing undeclared added sulfiting agents. Multiple product recalls have been issued for non-compliant labeling.source

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Sulfite Sensitivity — Residual sulfur dioxide in golden raisins (up to ~4,000 ppm in some batches per USDA data) can cause serious or life-threatening allergic reactions in individuals with sulfite hypersensitivity, as confirmed by multiple FDA recall notices.

Other — Individuals with asthma are disproportionately sulfite-sensitive; ingestion of sulfite-containing foods including golden raisins is associated with bronchoconstriction and acute asthmatic episodes in this population.

Diabetes — Golden raisins have a concentrated natural sugar content and a moderate-to-high glycemic load; people with diabetes should limit portion size to minimize postprandial blood glucose excursions.

Ibs — Golden raisins are high in fructose and fermentable carbohydrates (FODMAPs) and may worsen IBS symptoms such as bloating, cramping, and altered bowel habits in susceptible individuals.

Infants — Whole or inadequately chopped dried fruits including golden raisins present a significant choking hazard for infants under 12 months and are not recommended as a first food; sulfite residues are also of greater concern in very young children with immature detoxification capacity.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1other. Method for Reducing the Amount of Sulfur Used to Produce Golden Raisins (USDA/FAO AGRIS). agris.fao.org
2FDA. Sunco & Frenchie Issues an Allergy Alert on Undeclared Sulfites in Golden Raisins, 2024. fda.gov
3FDA. Import Alert 99-21: Detention Without Physical Examination of Food Products Containing Undeclared Added Sulfiting Agents, 2023. accessdata.fda.gov
4FDA. Deep Foods Inc. Issues Allergy Alert on Undeclared Sulfites In 'Deep Golden Raisins', 2019. fda.gov
5PubMed. Food safety risk assessment for estimating dietary intake of sulfites in the Taiwanese population, 2017. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
6FSSAI. Manual of Methods of Analysis of Foods: Fruit and Vegetable Products (FSSAI, 2016), 2016.

Independently researched6 citations