Dried fruit
Dried fruit is fruit from which the majority of the original water content has been removed either naturally, through sun drying, or through the use of specialized dryers or dehydrators.
Dried fruit has a long tradition of use dating back to the fourth millennium BC in Mesopotamia, and is prized because of its sweet taste, high caloric and nutritive value, and long shelf life.
Today, dried fruit consumption is widespread. Nearly half of the dried fruits sold are raisins, followed by dates, prunes, figs, apricots, peaches, apples and pears.
Some products sold as dried fruit, like papaya, kiwi fruit and pineapple are most often candied fruit.Dried fruits retain most of the nutritional value of fresh fruits, with the exception of some vitamins such as Vitamin C.