GCC STANDARDIZATION ORGANIZATION (GSO) 
  
  
  
  
  
 ﻨﻬﺎﺌﻲﻤﺸﺭﻭﻉ  
  
  
GSO5/1…./2008 
    
  
    
  
  
 ﺍﻟﺒﺭﻗﻭﻕ)ﺍﻟﺒﺨﺎﺭﻯ( ﺍﻟﻤﺠﻔﻑ  
DRIED PRUNES  
 
  
 
  
  
    
  
  
Prepared by: 
 
Gulf technical committee for standards of food and agriculture products 
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
This document is a draft Gulf  standard circulated for comments, it is therefore, 
subject to change, and may not be referre d it as a Gulf standard, until approved by 
the Board of Directors.  . GULF STANDARD GSO ......./2008
 
2 Foreword  
  
 
 
 
Standardization Organization for G CC (GSO) is a regional Organization 
which consists of the National Standard s Bodies of GCC me mber States. One 
of GSO main functions is to issue Gulf Standards /Technical regulation 
through specialized technical committees (TCs). 
 
GSO through the technical progra m of committee TC No 5  "  The Gulf 
Technical Committee for Food and Ag ricultural Standards Products" has 
prepared this Standard .  The Draf t Standard has been prepared by ( KINGDOM 
OF SAUDI ARABIA      ) 
 
 The draft Standard has been prepared based on re levant ADMO, International 
and National foreign Sta ndards and references. 
 
This standard has been approved as Gu lf (Standard / Technical Regulation)   
by GSO Board of Directors in its meeting No..../....  …….held on    /    /   /  H 
,  /    /   G 
 GULF STANDARD GSO ......./2008
 
3 DRIED PRUNES 
 
1. SCOPE  AND FIELD OF APPLICATION   
  This Gulf standard is concerned with dried prunes from certain varieties of 
plum conforming to the characteristics of plant ( Prunus domestica  L), intended 
for direct consumption. 
 
2. COMPLEMENTARY REFERENCES 
2.1 GSO 9 “Labeling of prepackaged foods”.  
2.2 GSO 1287 “Methods of Sampling of Prepackaged Fruit and Vegetable 
Products”. 
2.3 GSO 21 “Hygienic Regulations for Food Plants and their Personnel”. 
2.4 GSO 244 “Methods of test for Fruits a nd Vegetable and their Products –Part 1: 
Orgnoleptic Examination, Determination of net weight an d drained weight, 
determination of Apparent Viscosity Head Space, Extrancons Matter and 
Defective Fruits”. 
2.5 GSO 299 “Methods of Test for Vegetables , Fruits and their Products, Part II: 
Determinations of Moisture , Total  Solids Unsoluble in Alcohol, Total Ash, 
Calcium , Mineral Oil, Ascorbic Acid. 
2.6 GSO 356 “Preservatives Permitted for use in Food Products”.  
2.7 GSO 1023 “Expiration Periods of Food Products”. 
2.8 GSO 382 “Maximum Limits for Pestic ide Residues in Agricultural and Food 
Products – Part 1”. 
2.9 GSO 383 “Maximum Limits for Pestic ide Residues in Agricultural and Food 
Products – Part 2”. 
2.10 GSO 704 “Fruit and Vegetable Products – Determination of Mineral Impuriites 
Content”. 
2.11 GSO 839 “Food Packages – Part 1 – General Requirements”. 2.12 GSO 988 “Limits of Radioactivity Levels  Allowed in Foodstuffs –  Part I”. 
2.13 
GSO 998  “Methods of Detection of permissible radionuclides limits Food – 
Part I : Gamma Spectrometry Analysis”. 
2.14 GSO 1016 “Microbiological Criteri a for Foodstuffs – Part I:”. 
2.15 GSO 1382 “Code of Hygienic Practice for the Production of Dried Fruits”. 
 GULF STANDARD GSO ......./2008
 
4 3. DEFINITIONS 
3.1 Prunes:  Food product prepared from some va rieties conforming with character 
sticks of species ( Prunus domestica  L) after washing, cleaning , and grading.  
The product should be suitable for drying to be supplied for consumption with or without pits and been obt ained by controlled dehydration. 
3.2 Defects 
3.2.1  End cracks : Callous growth-cracks, occurring at the end of prunes, whole total 
length may be more than 10mm (25/64 in ch) but less than 15  mm (38/64 inch). 
3.2.2   Damage to skin or flesh:  
3.2.2.1 Callous-like growth scars whose total is more than 10 mm (25/64 inch).  
3.2.2.2 Cracks, splits or breaks down to the stone.  3.2.2.3 Splits or breaks exposing a substantial part of the flesh and seriously affecting 
the appearance of the fruit. 
3.2.3  Fermentation: The appearance of fermentation is  indicated by a distinctly sour 
taste or odor or by the da rkening in color associated with fermentation or 
acidity. 
3.2.4 Callosities:  Surface callosities (other than cr acks) of more than 10 mm in 
diameter, and areas of thin lacy crackle of more than 20 mm diameter. 
3.2.5   Heat injury:  Damage by sunburn or excessive h eat during dehydration which     
substantially affects the appearance, fla vor, or normal edibility of the prune. 
3.2.6  Insect damage:   Visible damage caused by insects and animal pests. 
3.2.7 Fruit infested by insects and mites:  Fruit infested by the presence of dead 
and or mites. 
3.2.8  Peduncle:   The part of stem which attach es the plum to the branch.   
3.2.9  Mold:    Mold filments visible to the naked eye. 
3.2.10  Decay:  Decomposition caused by bacteria or  fungi making the flesh of the 
prune unfit for consumption. 
3.2.11 Foreign matter of vegetable origin:  Leaves, peduncles, twigs, bits of wood, 
or similar matter. 
3.2.12  Mineral impurities:  Acid insoluble ash. 
 
4. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS 
 In all classes, the following requi rements shall be met in prunes: 
4.1 It shall be prepared, processed and prepackaged under sanitary conditions in 
accordance with Gulf standards mentioned in (2.3), (2.15). 
4.2 Fruits shall be fully ripe and having the prune’s natural features. 
4.3 Whole prunes or without pits , shall be without peduncles  
4.4 Fleshy, the flesh being elastic and pliable. GULF STANDARD GSO ......./2008
 
5 4.5 Covered with a wrinkled skin. 
4.6 Free from living and dead insects, para sites and mites whatever their stage of 
development. 
4.7 Sound and free from mechanical damages such as scratching  and bruises. 
4.8 Free from foreign sm ell and/or taste. 
4.9 Clean and practically free from obvious foreign matter. 
4.10 No sweeteners or sugar may be added. 4.11 Moisture shall not exceed 35%. If it is exceeded, pr eservatives may used in 
accordance with the Gulf standard mentioned in (2.6). 
4.12 Mineral impurities should be limited to 1 g/kg by weight.   
4.13 Pesticide residues content shall not exceed what is stated in the Gulf standards 
mentioned in (2.8 and 2.9). 
4.14 Radiation levels in the product shall no t exceed what is stated in the Gulf 
standard mentioned in (2.12). 
4.15 Microbiological limits comply with cr iteris stated in the Gulf standard 
mentioned in (2.14). 
 
5. CLASSIFICATION 
5.1 Classification according to shape: Prunes are classified into two groups 
5.1.1  Whole prunes “Class I”:  Prunes with good quality, they may show slight 
superficial  defects which will not affect the general appearance of the product. 
5.1.2  Prunes without pits:  are classified into two classes 
5.1.2.1  Prunes without pits “Class I”: Depitted prunes by an appropriate process to 
minimize the damage to skin, and the num ber of cuts necessary to depit the 
purnes is limited to only two cuts. 
5.1.2.2  Pressure-pitted prunes “Class II”:  Prunes must be pitted by pressure. The 
number of cuts necessary to depit these prunes is not limited. 
5.2 Classification according to size: Whatever their mode of packing, “whole 
prunes” and “depitted prunes” must  previously have undergone sizing 
determined by minimum and maximum nu mber of prunes in 500 g, when the 
moisture content is marked on the pack age according to the following tables: GULF STANDARD GSO ......./2008
 
6 Table (1) – European designations 
Designation  Number of prunes  
per 500 g 
Giant     not more than 44  prunes 
Very large       from 45 to 55  prunes   
Large       from 56 to 66  prunes 
Medium       from 67 to 77  prunes 
Small       from 78 to 99  prunes 
Very small        more than 99  prunes 
 
Table (2) – American designations 
 
Designation  Number of prunes  
per 500 g 
Jumbo not more than 28  prunes 
Extra large       from 29 to 44  prunes   
Large       from 45 to 66  prunes 
Medium       from 67 to 94  prunes 
Small       from 95 to 110  prunes 
    
5.2.1  Pitted prunes (Class I): The size is determined by the count taken before the 
pits have been removed from the prunes as follow:  
Table (3) 
Size Number of prunes  
per 500 g
Large      Not more than 67  prunes 
Medium       More than 67  prunes 
  
5.2.2  Pressure pitted prunes (Class II):  Sizing of pressure pitt ed is not obligatory. 
 
6. PERMITTED DEFECTS 
6.1 Some  of defects  can be allowed as follow:   GULF STANDARD GSO ......./2008
 
7 Table (4)  
 Permitted defects 
(%) by weight Whole prunes
Class I Pitted prunes 
Class I Pressure pitted prunes
Class II 
A.  Total Tolerances 12 12 15 
B.  Individual defect 
Within the limits of total tolerances, the 
maximum allowed are:   
1. non-characteristic color and 
texture 12 12 15 
2.  end cracks 12 12 15 
3.  skin or flesh damage;         
callouses; heat injury;  insect damage 8 2 4 
4.  fermentation 4 2 4 
5.  foreign matter of vegetable 
origin 1 1 1 
6.  slight decay; mold 1 0.5 2 
7.  fruit infested by insects and 
mites 0.5 0.5 0.5 
C.  For pitted prunes     
8.  with whole pits – 2 4 
9.  with fragments of pits 2 2 4 
 
6.2 Permitted defects of size  
 Difference between the number of the sm allest prunes and that of the largest 
prunes in a sample of 500 g must not exceed: 
Table (5) 
Size number The largest and the smallest prunes 
45 – 55 25 
56 – 77 35 
more than 77 45 
 
7. PACKAGING 
 Without prejudice to what is stated in th e Gulf standard men tioned in (2.11) the 
product shall be packed in suitable, clea n, and hermetically sealed containers 
that will maintain the hygienic and the quality of the product. 
 
8. SAMPLING 
 Samples shall be taken according to  Gulf standard me ntioned in (2.2). 
 GULF STANDARD GSO ......./2008
 
8 9. TESTING 
 Tests shall be carried out on the repres entative sample taken according to (8) to 
determine its compliance to this standard. 
9.1 Tests for determination of net wei ght, defective units and organoleptic 
examination shall be carried out according to the Gulf standard mentioned in (2.4). 
9.2 Determination of moisture and total ash according to the Gulf standard 
mentioned in (2.5). 
9.3 Determination of mineral impurities cont ent  shall be carried out according to 
the Gulf standard mentioned in (2.10). 
9.4 Detection of limits of radiation levels sh all be carried out a ccording to the Gulf 
standard mentioned in (2.13). 
 
10. LABELLING 
 Without prejudice to what is stated in the Gulf standard mentioned in (2.1) the 
following shall be declared on each package. 
10.1 Type and style of product 10.2 No. of prunes per pack and the grade. 10.3 Moisture content 10.4 Preservatives, if added. 10.5 Expiration periods for product according to the Gulf standard mentioned in     
(2.7).  
11. TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE 
11.1 Transportation of prunes shall be with a ppropriate means so to protect it from  
damage and spoilage.  
11.2 Storage of prunes packs shall be done in warehouse with a good ventilation and 
far from heat, humidity and contamination sources.