Raisins are a resistant product that is known as the second most vintage product in the world after wine.  Raisins are dried grapes varieties that include grapes with seeds and seedless grapes. Different dried grapes make varieties of raisins. The history of raisin production dates back more than 3,000 years ago.

The special features of raisins are

i) economical production as it uses sunlight

ii) simple packaging materials

iii) longer shelf life as dried products have a lower volume.

iv) simple equipment

The cultivars of grapes suitable for raisins, should have the following characteristics: high percentage of sugar, fleshiness of the grape grain, seedless or small seed, softness of the tissue, uniformity of the berry size, rapid drying of the berry. Of course, cultivars of grapes with a lot of sugar and seeds are also used to produce a raisins called curry. The most important varieties of grapes suitable for drying are white seedless (Keshmesh or Sultana), red seedless (redness Ozum), white Asgari, Pikami,Yagooti and….The most important variety of grapes is used for drying in the world is: Thompson Seedless known as Sultanina, Sultanich, Kishmish , Sultana in various dialects.

White Seedless	Red Seedless
Pikami	Asgari
Yagooti	Thomson Seedless (Sultanina)

The usages of raisin are:  as snacks, in food (rice), confectionery and chocolate industry, juice and concentrate factories, vinegar and grape juice and its waste for livestock and bee.

The varieties of dried grapes (varieties of raisins) are include:

1) Sun-Dried Raisins (Sunshine raisins):

Dried seedless grapes in sunshine that is became brown

2) Sultana:

Sultanas are made from green seedless grapes. Sultanas are typically coated in an oil-based solution prior to drying to speed up the process. For this reason, they are often lighter in color than currants. It is bright brown to dark brown in color

Sultanas are typically smaller another raisins and are sweeter, juicer and lighter in color than currants.

3)Golden Raisins (Angori):

Dried seedless grape with sulfur smoke in a shade that they are golden amber in color

4) Kashmari Raisins (GOLDEN / GREEN):

Kashmiri Raisins are produced from Pikami Grapes (a kind of seedless grapes in Iran).It is sweet and sour in taste and  in a long oval shape.

It has are two types: Golden kashmiri raisin and green kashmiri raisin.They are the same, just green kashmiri raisin is left out in the shade away from direct natural sunlight and will gain different shades of green due to the amount of time spent there

5) Currants:

dried Yaghooti grapes. Currants, also known as “Zante currants,” are tiny, dried grapes. Despite their name, currants are actually made by drying a variety of small, seedless grapes called “Black Corinth” and “Carina.” Currants are dried for up to three weeks.