While prunes are known as being a high-fiber food, prunes contain approximately 6.1 g of dietary fiber per 100 g, which is not unusually high. Prunes also contain phenolic compounds (184 mg/100 g), mainly as neochlorogenic and chlorogenic acids. The pH of Sunsweet Ingredients ranges from 3.7 to 4.2. In addition, plums’ caramel flavor complements roasted and braised meat and poultry dishes. These acids can draw out flavors in food in much the same way that lemon juice enlivens a soup. Organic acids-mainly malic and quinic-comprise about 1.5% of prunes. When fresh prune plums are dried, they develop a tangy caramel flavor from the concentration of sugars and acids. * Chemical composition and potential health effects of prunes: a functional food? Fiber and Desirable Acids Prunes are good source of energy in the form of simple sugars, but do not mediate a rapid rise in blood sugar concentration, possibly because of high fiber, fructose, and sorbitol content. In comparison, this is the breakdown of sugars in 100 g dried prune plums* (also simply called prunes). This is the breakdown of sugars in 100 g fresh prune plums*: As the fruit dries, the sucrose is converted to glucose and fructose. Prune plums contain roughly twice as much sugar at harvest as other varieties of plums. Sorbitol is what sets prune plums apart from other fruits, including other varieties of plums. Nearly 50% of the weight of a prune is sugar, yet much it is sorbitol, a sugar alcohol that is not absorbed by the body (and therefore does not have the same effect on blood sugar).

While the chemical compositions of each prune-based Sunsweet Ingredient varies, they all contain several functional components, including sorbitol, fiber, and antioxidants. What emerged was a California prune plum with French ancestry. Cuttings were brought to the California Bay Area by Louis Pellier in the nineteenth century, who propagated them on American rootstock. Sunsweet prunes are derived from a stone fruit that originated in France. While all prunes are plums, not all plums can be prunes.

Propagated since ancient times, prune plums are unique in nature for their for their sweet-tart flavor and functional components, including sorbitol and antioxidants.

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