Green Raisins (Kishmish)

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Green raisins (kishmish) are shade-dried or artificially dehydrated grapes (Vitis vinifera L.) that retain their greenish-golden colour through sulphur dioxide fumigation to prevent oxidative browning. They are widely consumed as a snack, confectionery ingredient, and traditional remedy, and are a significant agricultural export from Afghanistan, Iran, and Central Asia.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

Green raisins are nutritionally dense, providing dietary fibre, potassium, iron, and polyphenols, and are generally recognised as safe for the general adult population. The primary safety concern is the residual sulphur dioxide (SO₂) used in processing, which can reach up to 564 ppm in raisins; the WHO/JECFA Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) for sulphites expressed as SO₂ is 0.7 mg/kg body weight/day. Individuals with asthma or sulphite sensitivity may experience adverse reactions, and high natural sugar content warrants moderation in those managing blood glucose.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Approved	Dried grapes/raisins are permitted to contain sulphur dioxide (E220) as a preservative under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives. Sulphites must be declared on labelling when present above 10 mg/kg as SO₂. The ADI for sulphites is 0.7 mg/kg bw/day (JECFA/WHO).source
Food Standards Agency (FSA) / Food Standards Scotland (FSS) (United Kingdom)	Approved	Sulphur dioxide and sulphites in raisins and dried fruits must be declared as allergens on food labels in the UK under retained EU allergen labelling legislation. Individuals with asthma are flagged as higher-risk for sulphite reactions.source
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India)	Approved	Green raisins/kishmish are permitted dried fruits under FSSAI Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011. Sulphur dioxide is permitted as a preservative in dried fruits with a maximum residue limit of 500–2000 mg/kg depending on product specification. Mycotoxin (aflatoxin) monitoring is mandated by FSSAI for imported and domestic raisins.source
Taiwan FDA (TFDA) (Taiwan)	Approved	Golden raisins are explicitly listed among 17 food items in which sulphites as bleaching agents are permitted under Taiwanese food safety regulations; all other food items are required to be free of sulphite residues.

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Sulfite Sensitivity — Green raisins processed with sulphur dioxide can contain up to 564 ppm SO₂; individuals with sulphite sensitivity or allergy may experience respiratory distress, urticaria, or anaphylaxis, and should avoid commercially sulphured green/golden raisins unless confirmed SO₂-free.

Other — Individuals with asthma are at higher risk of developing a reaction to sulphur dioxide residues in raisins, as confirmed by UK Food Standards Agency allergen guidance.

Infants — Whole raisins pose a choking hazard for infants and toddlers under 4 years; sulphite sensitivity is also of concern in this age group due to immature metabolic detoxification capacity.

Diabetes — A 43 g serving of raisins contains approximately 25 g of total sugar; individuals with diabetes should monitor portion sizes and blood glucose response, though the fibre content moderates glycaemic impact.

Ibs — Raisins are high in fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols (FODMAPs), particularly fructose and fructans, which can trigger IBS symptoms such as bloating and abdominal pain in susceptible individuals.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1PubMed. Determination of Sulfites in Dried Fruits by Paper Spray Ionization Tandem Mass Spectrometry, 2024. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
2PubMed. Association of raisin and raisin-containing food consumption with nutrient intake and diet quality in US children: NHANES 2001–2012, 2018. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
3FDA. CPG Sec 550.750 Raisins – Adulteration Involving Mold, Sand, Grit, & Insects, 2018. fda.gov
4PubMed. Association of raisin consumption with nutrient intake, diet quality, and health risk factors in US adults: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2001–2012, 2017. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
5PubMed. Quality and safety attributes of afghan raisins before and after processing, 2015. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
6PubMed. Determination of free sulfites (SO₃²⁻) in dried fruits processed with sulfur dioxide by ion chromatography, 2013.

Independently researched6 citations