People learned to keep grapes in dried form more than two thousand years ago and even came up with a separate name for this product - raisins. It was made in Persia and Egypt, used not only as a treat, but also decorated their places of worship and their body. Raisins were awarded for victory in competitions and paid for goods and services.
Now this popular dried fruit is used both for the preparation of various dishes and as an independent delicacy.
It has long been no doubt and its benefits for our health. Raisins contain a wide variety of phenols - natural antioxidants. It contains boron, a warning osteoporosis and affecting the activity of estrogen.
To use a raisin with benefit and pleasure, it is necessary to choose it correctly.
How to choose raisins
First, pay special attention to its coloring. From light grapes, raisins usually turn out to be light brown, and not an attractive golden color, which is given to it by treatment with preservatives. Dark grapes in the process of drying becomes black and acquires a bluish raid.
To the touch dried grapes should not be soft, oily and moist. Real raisins are always hard and wrinkled, with a matte shade and very sweet to the taste. But it is not enough to choose a raisin, it is also important to save it correctly. To do this, you need to know what conditions suit this dried fruit the most.
Tableware for storage
Maximum storage times are guaranteed by practically hermetic containers, for example, ceramic or glass with lapped or screwed caps. Great for tightly fitting wood barrels.
Temperature conditions
At home, it is very difficult to provide ideal temperature conditions for raisins, since this requires a temperature of +10 ° C. Such conditions in the apartment for a long period of time can be provided only with the help of a refrigerator. However, for dried grapes there is too high humidity, and it can dampen. Therefore, for storage, you should choose the coolest and darkest place as far as possible away from heating devices and household heat sources such as an oven or kettle. Favorable for reproduction of various parasites environment is created at a temperature above +17 ° C.
Humidity
No less important role for the preservation of raisins are moisture conditions. When the water content in the dried fruit is from 17% to 24%, it will be perfectly stored at a humidity of about 70%. As a rule, such a microclimate is created in an apartment or house. Under these conditions, too dry raisins will become softer, but at the appropriate temperature conditions and suitable containers will remain fresh and tasty for the whole year.
A few additional tips
- If you prefer to keep raisins in the refrigerator, you should worry about its sealed packaging for moisture insulation. In such conditions, the shelf life of the dried fruit will not exceed 3-4 months.
- It is possible to store raisins in canvas bags. In this case, you need to put next to the tank with salt, which will absorb excess moisture from the air. A nearby bunch of dried mint will protect against various pests.
- When storing raisins for a long time, it is necessary to regularly check for the presence of mold and other living creatures. If you find a small number of uninvited guests dried fruit can be calcined in the oven at a temperature of about 70 ° C or put out for several hours in the frost. If there are too many pests, simply throw away the spoiled product.
