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Re: [nafex] Re: Organics, was Cedar Rust Revisited



Fluoride in the raisins is definitely bad news.  I am replying to that
off-list as the comments on it are long and rather off-topic.

The scene from Fresno wasn't wrong.  Dehydrators are used in years when
there is early rain and raisins have to be brought in and dried in driers to
be salvaged.  Also, the so-called "white" raisins are produced in
dehydrators, with sulfur being burned to release sulfur dioxide, which
prevents oxidation, so the raisins don't turn brown.  Being trapped in one
of those dehydrators would be lethal in a couple of minutes.

Now, there is a new method coming along.  New varieties are being bred, with
one already out - DoVine - that are earlier ripening and can be dried a
different way.  The canes with the grapes on them are cut, but left hanging
on the trellis.  The clusters then dry hanging on the vine, and a mechanical
harvester comes through and shakes off the raisins.  The raisins dry faster,
are cleaner and free of insects, and are a higher grade, and there is a lot
less labor involved.  And since the new varieties ripen a lot earlier than
Thompson Seedless, there is a lot less chance of rain damage to them, since
they are out of the field weeks earlier, often well before Thompson would
even be ripe enough to dry.
-Lon
Grapes, unusual fruits, writing, more, at http://www.hevanet.com/lonrom

----------
>From: "Kieran or Donna" <redherring@tnaccess.com>
>To: <nafex@egroups.com>
>Subject: Re: [nafex] Re: Organics, was Cedar Rust Revisited
>Date: Thu, May 25, 2000, 9:19 AM
  From what I understand of raisin drying, washing
>before drying is out of the question.  In fact, did any of you see a
>miniseries years ago called "Fresno" about 2 rival raisin empires?  It was a
>satire on several series popular at the time (Dallas, etc)  In a horrifying
>scene the patriarch has received a call in the middle of the night saying
>there is trouble with the raisin dehydrator.  We see him go into the
>dehydrating room, a hand slams the door and locks it, a scream issues from
>within, we are left to imagine the consequences....
>>From what I have read, a machine drives down the rows of grapevines laying
>down a strip of brown paper.  Farmworkers clip the bunches and drop them
>onto the paper, where they dry in the sun.  Then the machine comes along
>again and takes up the paper and raisins.  The raisins are taken into the
>packing plant where the stems and ants are blown off them by compressed air.
>Knowing that made the TV version even funnier to me.  Donna
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Lon J. Rombough" <lonrom@hevanet.com>
>To: <nafex@egroups.com>
>Sent: Wednesday, May 24, 2000 5:06 PM
>Subject: Re: [nafex] Re: Organics, was Cedar Rust Revisited
>
>
>> The material used in grapes is a pad containing sodium bisulfite.  It
>breaks
>> down and releases sulfur dioxide to "fumigate" the grapes and keep them
>from
>> spoiling.  It would obviously generate sulfites, which, of course, many
>> people are sensitive to.
>> ----------
>> >From: "Kieran or Donna" <redherring@tnaccess.com>
>> >To: <nafex@egroups.com>
>> >Subject: Re: [nafex] Re: Organics, was Cedar Rust Revisited
>> >Date: Wed, May 24, 2000, 12:23 PM
>> >
>>
>> >    And to bring the story around to fruit, in case you don't personally
>> >know anyone (I do) whose child has gone into convulsions after eating
>grapes
>> >on the way home from the grocery, there is some kind of fumigant used on
>> >grapes nowadays.  The stores have instructions to open the boxes and let
>> >them stand open for 2 hours before putting them on display, but that
>doesn't
>> >always get done.  My reaction to all this is, "But this is supposed to be
>> >FOOD."
>> > Donna
>> >
>> >
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>>
>>
>
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