That crystalized stuff is “white sugar crystals," which occasionally appear on dried figs. No need to worry because they are the naturally occurring fruit sugars that have come to the surface and crystallized. This sometimes happens in exceptionally sweet figs. These natural fruit sugars are edible, and I know we enjoy the light, delicate crunch they add to their fig-eating experience :-). If you want to remove this natural sugar coating, it is easy to do. If you plan to eat the figs whole, a light wash with warm water will dissolve the sugar. Or, the sugar can be turned into a delicate glaze by putting the figs into a low-temperature oven for a few minutes. When used in prepared dishes, the figs’ natural sugar crystals will dissolve in the baking or cooking process.