How are commercially dried cranberries dried?

I'm trying to clarify how exactly commercially available dried cranberries, like craisins, are dried.

I'm specifically trying to research the topic to understand the processes involved, in order to determine if the cranberries are considered to be "cooked" according to Jewish law (which doesn't necessarily correspond to a scientific or culinary definition of the word "cooked.") Whether or not the cranberries are considered "cooked" has numerous ramifications, which are beyond the scope of this forum.

The questions involved are:

What temperature is used? I'm trying to get as exact as possible, as even a 5 degree difference can be significant.
Are the cranberries dried using dry heat? Or are they dried using moist air, in effect more cooking the berries than drying them?
Is there a difference between different companies, or regions?
Is there a difference whether the cranberries are sweetened with sugar vs. sweetened with apple juice?

I've seen sites discussing home-drying cranberries, like this one, but the sites specifically say that the process used commercially is different.

When discussing this topic in various rabbinic forums, I've received different answers, but no one had any hard (sourced) facts to share. That's why I'm trying to obtain sourced answers to help clarify this.

Thank you so much!

Best Answer

Not sure if you are still looking for an answer, but this paper may give you one

At Oceanspray, the cranberries are frozen, sliced, and have 10% of their juice removed. The juice is then sweetened and injected back into the berries. They are then dried in a three step process, with temps of 260?F, 230?F, and 200?F.

Pictures about "How are commercially dried cranberries dried?"

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How do you dry dried cranberries?

How To Dry Cranberries

Bake. Place the lined baking sheet in the oven at 225 degrees F for 3-4 hours, or until cranberries have lost most of their water content. ...

Dry. For best results, turn off the oven, prop it open with a wooden spoon, and leave cranberries in there for several more hours to eliminate more moisture.

How are dried cranberries processed?

Cranberries are sorted and washed to remove debris from the bog in order to ensure the highest quality dried cranberries. They are then frozen to retain their high quality and natural goodness, which also helps break down their internal structure and release the vibrant red coloring from the cranberry skin.

What is the difference between dried cranberries and craisins?

Dried cranberries are sometimes referred to as craisins due to the name's similarity to raisins, though the word "Craisin" is a registered trademark of Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. and cannot be officially applied to dried cranberries from other manufacturers.

How do you dehydrate cranberries without a dehydrator?

Dry the CranberriesTurn the oven on to its lowest setting. On many ovens, this is 150 F, but 135 F would be ideal if your oven goes that low. Put the baking sheet of cranberries (with the paper towel and parchment) in the oven for 8 hours or overnight. Check the cranberries after 8 hours.

Ocean Spray - Sweetened Dried Cranberries

Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: EKATERINA BOLOVTSOVA, EKATERINA BOLOVTSOVA, Tim Douglas, Tim Douglas