About
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
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
| 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
Research citations
- 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
