Bulk Dried Plums (Prunes)

Dried plum varieties can be dried without fermenting while still containing the pits.  This is not true of all varieties of plums.  The California dried plum is an offshoot of La Petite d'Agen, a native of Southwest France.  At maturity, it has a royal purple outer skin and amber colored flesh.

California’s rich valley soil, the long, warm growing season, an abundant supply of irrigation water and the application of the most modern agricultural practices, enable the fruit to reach full maturity on the trees under continuous ideal growing conditions. Thus, these orchards produce fruit with maximum flavor, ideal fruit size, fine texture, high sugar content, and smooth small pits — all characteristics inherent in high quality dried plums.

Dried Plum as Industrial Ingredient

For food processors, California dried plum and fresh plum products offer a line of natural, multi-functional ingredients that improve and add value to a wide range of products. Thanks to a unique combination of fiber (7.5%), sorbitol (14%) and organic acids (primarily malic acid at 1.5-2.0%), the dried plum fruit system can function, for example, either as a fat substitute in baked goods or as a humectant to retain moisture (and therefore juiciness) in pre-cooked meat products.

Available in both wet and dry forms, dried plum and fresh plum ingredients can also can be used as a natural sweetener, a caramel color, a preservative, and a flavor enhancer. A big plus, dried and fresh plum ingredients contribute to cost control/reduction and improve end-product nutrition. Pastes, purees, butters, powders and juice concentrates give the food processor a variety of forms to consider in wet and dry batch systems.

The natural occurring organic acids in dried plums combined with the highest antioxidant power of the most commonly eaten fruits and vegetables have been linked to the suppression of microbial development in meats. Research also points to the effectiveness of dried and fresh plums in alleviating the “warmed-over flavor” (WOF) which characterizes most cooked and re-heated meat products.

Dried Plums in Foodservice

Foodservice operators can choose either California dried plums, a tasty, energy-rich snack, or other further processed dried plum products as multi-functional ingredients for on-premise and processed food use.

Packed full of carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and fiber, pitted dried plums make a convenient, anytime snack for customers of all ages. Dried plum puree is widely utilized as a fat substitute for baked goods, all the more popular because of its ability to maintain and improve flavor in reduced-fat cookies, cakes and desserts. As a fruit ingredient in baked goods, sauces, marinades and poultry stuffing, dried plums enhance the taste and texture of foods. When specified in processed meats such as sausages, pre-cooked hamburgers, turkey patties and many others, dried plums help retain juiciness, meaty flavor and appeal.

The natural occurring organic acids in dried plums, combined with the highest antioxidant power of the most commonly eaten fruits and vegetables, have been linked to the suppression of microbial development in meats. Research also points to the effectiveness of dried and fresh plums in alleviating the "warmed-over flavor" (WOF) which characterizes most cooked and re-heated meat products.