Organic Raisins | whatsinit

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Organic raisins are sun- or mechanically dried grapes (Vitis vinifera) produced without synthetic pesticides or fertilisers. They are used as a naturally sweet, shelf-stable whole-food ingredient in baking, cereals, snack mixes, and confectionery, valued for their fibre, potassium, and polyphenol content.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

Raisins are broadly recognised as safe whole foods with no established ADI. The primary food-safety concern is ochratoxin A (OTA), a mycotoxin that can form during humid drying; the EU sets a regulatory maximum of 10 µg/kg OTA in dried vine fruit, and most commercial samples fall below this limit. Their high natural sugar content (~58 g/100 g) warrants portion awareness for people managing glycaemic load, though human intervention studies show only moderate postprandial insulin responses compared with other high-sugar snacks.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
FSANZ (Food Standards Australia New Zealand) (Australia)	Approved	Raisins are regulated as a whole food under the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. Organic certification governed by the Australian Certified Organic (ACO) standard and Department of Agriculture.source
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Approved	Raisins (dried vine fruit) are approved whole foods. EU Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 sets a maximum OTA contaminant level of 10 µg/kg in dried vine fruits. Organic labelling governed by EU Regulation 2018/848.source
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India)	Approved	Quality and safety standards for raisins are specified under FSS (Food Product Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, Section 2.3.47 (dried fruits and nuts). Organic raisins additionally fall under FSS (Organic Foods) Regulations, 2017.source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)	Approved	Raisins are a whole, minimally processed food (dried/dehydrated grapes) classified within the farm-definition under 21 CFR and the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act. No additive ADI applies. Organic production must meet USDA National Organic Program (NOP) standards under 7 CFR Part 205.source

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Diabetes — Raisins contain approximately 58 g/100 g of natural sugars; while human studies show a lower postprandial insulin response than some snacks, people with diabetes should monitor portion size and glycaemic impact, as supported by the polyphenol/glycaemic index review (PMID:20851304).

Ibs — Raisins are high in fructose and fructooligosaccharides, which are fermentable FODMAPs that may trigger bloating, cramping, or diarrhoea in individuals with irritable bowel syndrome.

Children — Whole raisins present a choking hazard for infants and toddlers under 4 years of age; the high sugar content also raises dental caries risk in children with frequent snacking, as noted in paediatric dietary guidance.

Infants — Raisins are a recognised choking hazard for infants and should not be offered whole to children under 12 months; they provide no nutritional advantage over fresh fruit at this age.

Kidney Disease — Raisins are high in potassium (~749 mg/100 g); patients with chronic kidney disease who require potassium restriction should limit intake under medical guidance.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1PubMed. Is Eating Raisins Healthy?, 2020. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
2PubMed. Association of raisin consumption with nutrient intake, diet quality, and health risk factors in US adults: NHANES 2001–2012, 2017. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
3PubMed. Polyphenol content and health benefits of raisins, 2010. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
4PubMed. Effect of raisin consumption on oxidative stress and inflammation in obesity, 2008. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
5other. EU Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 — Maximum levels for certain contaminants in foodstuffs (OTA in dried vine fruit), 2006. eur-lex.europa.eu

Independently researched5 citations