The California Raisin Marketing Board, Fresno, Calif. announced its inaugural America's Best Raisin Bread Contest, open to retail bakers, commercial bakers, certified baking teachers, registered students and bakery technicians working in allied industries.

To qualify, submitted formulas should be for raisin bread products planned for sale in the future or raisin bread products currently available in the market, which can be commercialized. Entry applications are accepted until Aug. 2, 2008. Preliminary judging will take place in September to choose 20 finalists who will bake their formula in front of a panel of judges at AIB International in Manhattan, Kan. on Oct. 11.

The prize, a five-day trip to California for the top five winners in both the artisan and commercial baking categories, will include a visit to the Culinary Institute of America, Yosemite National Park and the San Joaquin Valley.

Visit www.LoveYourRaisins.com for an application and a complete set of contest rules. Entrants also may contact Larry Blagg at the California Raisin Marketing Board, 559/248-0287 or larry@raisins.org.