My roommate has some dried apricots here *infrequnts for me, with sulpur dioxide to retain color.. has sulphur dioxide been tested?

What about other dried fruits, like pineapple and mango etc... What additives might they have that would make them avoids/infrequents (avoids still for me)?

best to buy unsulphured......

Naturally sun-dried fruit or fruit made from a dehydrator are other options, as well.  

I encourage you to favor organic dried fruit.  I once read that the process of drying fruit concentrates the pesticides found in fruits.

Alia

Never give kids or people with astma the sulphured ones- just not safe enough
- all the organic ones are unsulphured her but I don´t know about US ?

And some dried fruits have sugar added.  Get your own dehydrator for around $50 and make lots of great dried fruits.

a lot of dried fruit - especially the 'ready to eat/use' without soaking kind has been covered in oil to keep it moist

Quoted from koahiatamadl

a lot of dried fruit - especially the 'ready to eat/use' without soaking kind has been covered in oil to keep it moist

Yes, I discovered this only recently. I had a terrible time - bloating and belly pains - with oil-coated ordinary dried cherries, so the oil must have been an avoid.    

I agree with the above and would like to add that many brands add high fructose corn syrup as the sweetner so watch the labels. Organic brands are best if you are buying ready made. I also read not long ago that strawberries and grapes (non organic) have the highest levels of pesticides in them, so when they are dried this concentrates those even more. Good reason to again buy organic.

Joyce

Some of the organic raisins I can get. is sadly covered in sunflower oil  (what is wrong with everybody it is every where? )
I have started to rinse them in hot water-  and dry them -a lot of the oil gets away that way.
Normally I react VERY easy to the bad B oils- but theese raisins I feel ok- with
- lately I have found a company that does not cover their raisins- so I´ll buy theeese instead
Off course the oil will not disappear 100 % - but 98-99 % is better than none.

Thanks Joyce and Henriette for elaborating on this. You make me face it and admit the truth to myself. I don't think I'll ever touch non-organic grapes or raisins again, or any oil coated organic dried fruits. I think I can find quite easily organic raisins which are not coated - they look very dry. And yes, what is wrong with everybody???

I buy wonderful organic dried figs, which are syrup coated - very convenient. Now I have to ask them what this syrup is... I'll just ask and see if they answer.

I wrote to the manufacturer (Nimeks, Izmir) and here is their reply:

"We are supplying Organic Dried Figs in 500gr plastic trays.
There is no additive in this product and also no syrup. The softness comes from the fruit itself as the inside sugar gets out after they are packed."

This is best news, the product is superb.    

Way to go, Yael.  Going right to the source, you know what you are eating!  

Figs are great, fresh or dried!

Victoria
I have never had a fig till going on this diet.  I am still learning to enjoy them fresh or dried.  I found that putting them in cereal, like oats or buckwheat is a big help.  Also tried putting them in a salad.  Baby steps ,baby steps.

Always aim for the organic fruits and vegetables, especially for dried ones because the drying can concentrate the pesticides and other residues.

Quoted from zbctj52

Victoria
I have never had a fig till going on this diet.  I am still learning to enjoy them fresh or dried.  I found that putting them in cereal, like oats or buckwheat is a big help.  Also tried putting them in a salad.  Baby steps ,baby steps.

I think when I was a kid, people would sometimes try to serve them to me, canned in heavy syrup.      I thought that was a fig!

Now, they're one of my favorite fruits.  I planted a baby fig tree in my yard last year.  It's 2 feet tall now!