# Do they make raisins about of green grapes? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 19, 2000, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-make-raisins-about-of-green-grapes/33750 "2000-09-19T18:05:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tzel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Tzel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tzel)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2000, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-make-raisins-about-of-green-grapes/33750/1 "2000-09-19T18:05:58Z")
? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2000, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-make-raisins-about-of-green-grapes/33750/2 "2000-09-19T18:11:36Z")
Yes they do. They’re not as common as they were when I was a kid, but Sunmaid Golden Raisins were some of my favourites. Especially in raisin bread. I don’t know if you can still find them in the stores, tho. Good luck ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2000, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-make-raisins-about-of-green-grapes/33750/3 "2000-09-19T18:12:20Z")
I’ve seen non-purple/dark raisins, so I assume they were made from non-purple/dark grapes. I don’t recall if they’re called anything special, though. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2000, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-make-raisins-about-of-green-grapes/33750/4 "2000-09-19T18:13:40Z")
Apparently, you don’t do a lot of raisin buying, Tzel. The purple raisins sell a lot better (or presumably are cheaper to make). ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2000, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-make-raisins-about-of-green-grapes/33750/5 "2000-09-19T18:28:50Z")
**Pretty much all raisins are made with green (white) grapes.** The ones that are sold as “golden” raisins have sulfates added to preserve their color as they dry. ---
**Author:** ![Chas.E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e99b99/32.png) [@Chas.E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chas.E)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2000, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-make-raisins-about-of-green-grapes/33750/6 "2000-09-20T01:39:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lissener \* > \*\***Pretty much all raisins are made with green (white) grapes.** > > The ones that are sold as “golden” raisins have sulfates added to preserve their color as they dry. \*\* Incorrect. Green grapes made into raisins are called “currants.” They make them the same way as regular dark grapes are made into raisins. ---
**Author:** ![Pixoid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Pixoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixoid)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2000, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-make-raisins-about-of-green-grapes/33750/7 "2000-09-20T02:14:16Z")
[http://www.sun-maid.com/growing.html](http://www.sun-maid.com/growing.html) That’s the page where Sun-Maid explains how “95 percent of Sun-Maid’s raisins are produced from Thompson Seedless grapes.” As pictured, the grapes are green. ---
**Author:** ![evilbeth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/evilbeth/32/2268_2.png) [@evilbeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/evilbeth)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2000, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-make-raisins-about-of-green-grapes/33750/8 "2000-09-20T03:35:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Chas.E \* > \*\* > > Incorrect. Green grapes made into raisins are called “currants.” They make them the same way as regular dark grapes are made into raisins. \*\* Incorrect. From the [wholehealthMD](http://www.wholehealthmd.com/refshelf/foods_view/0,1523,67,00.html) website: \*Currants: Made from small Black Corinth grapes, currants are seedless and **very dark in color.** About one-fourth the size of other raisins, currants are sometimes labeled “Zante Currants,” referring to the Greek island where the Corinth first grew. Golden raisins: Like natural seedless raisins (see below), these are also Thompson Seedless grapes, but are oven-dried to avoid the darkening effect of sunlight. They are also treated with sulfur dioxide to preserve the light color.\* As others have said, white grapes make regular raisins unless they are treated. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2000, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-make-raisins-about-of-green-grapes/33750/9 "2000-09-20T05:56:23Z")
It should be noted that the word _currant_ can also apply to several members of the genus _Ribes_, a relative of the gooseberry. These currants make excellent jelly and wine. ---
**Author:** ![evilbeth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/evilbeth/32/2268_2.png) [@evilbeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/evilbeth)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2000, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-make-raisins-about-of-green-grapes/33750/10 "2000-09-20T09:52:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bibliophage \* > \*\*It should be noted that the word _currant_ can also apply to several members of the genus _Ribes_, a relative of the gooseberry. These currants make excellent jelly and wine. \*\* Yes, I meant to include that bit of info with my post. ---
**Author:** ![Running\_with\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Running\_with\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Running_with_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2000, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-make-raisins-about-of-green-grapes/33750/11 "2000-09-20T14:32:35Z")
If they’re made from the same types of grapes, why do they taste different? I assume it’s not just psychological. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2000, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-make-raisins-about-of-green-grapes/33750/12 "2000-09-20T21:59:32Z")
The preservative that fixes the color also affects the flavor. Same goes with most dried fruits: you can buy non-sulfated (sulfided? don’t recall) apricots, but they’r brown and stiff, not orange and soft. They have a stronger, richer flavor though, and I used them in sauces and fillings. I use the orange, preserved apricots when visuals are more important than flavor. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2000, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-make-raisins-about-of-green-grapes/33750/13 "2000-09-21T03:31:05Z")
And in case anyone’s wondering, purple grapes make ordinary-looking raisins, too. I know this becasue I’ve had a bowl of purple grapes on my dining-room table for several weeks now, in the sun (I don’t eat much fruit). I haven’t tried eating one yet, though… ---
**Author:** ![csbford](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ba9def/32.png) [@csbford](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/csbford)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2000, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-make-raisins-about-of-green-grapes/33750/14 "2000-09-21T05:41:18Z")
I thought dried white grapes were called Sultanas and the dried dark grapes were called raisins. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2000, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-make-raisins-about-of-green-grapes/33750/15 "2000-09-21T18:11:34Z")
I think sultana, like currant, is a very specific kind of raisin, and does not refer to all dried white grapes. Especially since, as evidenced by the links above, 95% of all the raisins you eat are from white grapes. A sultana, specifically, according to [dictionary.com](http://dictionary.com): “A small yellow seedless raisin of a kind originally produced in Asia Minor.” ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2000, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-make-raisins-about-of-green-grapes/33750/16 "2000-09-21T18:44:56Z")
A Sultana is the Turkish relative of the American Thompson seedless grape. It’s sort of a greenish-purple when fresh. My experience has been that the purple raisins are usually sweeter than the green ones, which probably has something to do with the processing. I would assume that people prefer sweeter things to eat, especially kids who get boxes of raisins in their lunches quite frequently. At least I did. ---
**Author:** ![bigmanaz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@bigmanaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bigmanaz)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2010, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-make-raisins-about-of-green-grapes/33750/17 "2010-05-16T19:15:21Z")
> [@Chas.E](#): > > Incorrect. Green grapes made into raisins are called “currants.” They make them the same way as regular dark grapes are made into raisins. Wrong! currants come from currants almost all raisins come from California from Thompson seedless grapes ---
**Author:** ![GilaB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@GilaB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GilaB)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2010, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-make-raisins-about-of-green-grapes/33750/18 "2010-05-16T19:28:54Z")
Zombie raisin! reported ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2010, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-make-raisins-about-of-green-grapes/33750/19 "2010-05-16T19:59:30Z")
Raisin’ the dead, as it were. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2010, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-make-raisins-about-of-green-grapes/33750/20 "2010-05-16T20:14:50Z")
Definitely not a currant thread. (Is this the oldest zombie ever?!) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-make-raisins-about-of-green-grapes/33750.md?page=2)