BULLETIN No. 228 - SEPTEMBER, 1993

Dried Plums: A Multi-Functional Bakery Ingredient
By Scott W. Sanders, Ph.D, Byron, California
Copyright 1993 by the American Society of Bakery EngineersBakers are undoubtedly familiar with the use of dried plums in producing items such as Danish.
Recent research, however, has revealed many novel applications for dried plum products asfunctional natural bakery ingredients. This bulletin will review the composition of dried plums
and suggest how their unique components can be used effectively by bakers.
NUTRITIVE VALUE
Dried plums are noted for their high content of dietary fiber, carotenes (Vitamin A precursor),
iron and potassium (TABLE 1). Their use as ingredients generally results in an enhancement ofvitamin, mineral and fiber values. Health authorities (1.2.3) strongly suggest that healthy adults
and children over the age of 2 reduce fat intake to 30% or less of total calories, increase dietaryfiber to 20-30 grams/day, and increase consumption of fruits, vegetables and grain products. Allof this, made especially lucid through the use of U.S.D.A's new Food Pyramid, has resulted in an
ideal positioning for combining the benefits of dried plums with those of bakery products.
DRIED PLUM FORMS
Dried plums are available in many forms suitable for bakery use (TABLE 2). Diced and extruded
dried plum bits can be used to enhance fruit breads, pastries, muffins and cakes. Gaining in
popularity are the extruded bits, which are guaranteed pit-free. These bits can also be modified byadding other flavors, fruits and colors to extend the use of more expensive fruits.
The relatively low cost of dried plum paste makes it an ideal base to create various fruit filling
flavors for Danish pastry and bar cookies. The flavor of dried plums is compatible with otherfruits, spices and chocolate. In fact, dried plums act in a manner similar to vanilla to round out
and enhance other flavors. Thus, dried plums can be used to reduce the cost and improve thequality of fillings. For example, strawberries can be used as the characterizing fruit in a highquality filling using dried plum paste as the base fruit. The high pectin content in dried plumsprovides added stability to heat processes, and can eliminate the need for added stabilizers.
Dried plum purees are available which contain approximately 45%-dried plums pureed withadded water and/or corn syrup. Dried plum puree has the advantage of being soft and easily
incorporated into batters and doughs. As will be illustrated later, it has been found to be an
excellent fat replacer in bakery products.
Another convenient form of product made from dried plums is juice concentrate. This is used as anatural sweetener, color and preservative in baked products. As such, it can replace caramel color,calcium propionate, molasses and refined sugars.
Very low-moisture (i.e. 4%) forms of dried plums are available for use in dry mixes and very stiff
doughs. Available in powdered, flaked and granular form, these products are used to provide
identity and functional aspects, which will be discussed below.

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FAT REDUCTION
Over the past several years, food manufacturers have developed many new reduced- and fat-freeproducts. Many of these products rely on the use of fat-based emulsifiers as a part of the fat
replacement system. The use of these emulsifiers must now be reevaluated in light of the newlabeling laws passed by Congress and in effect May 1994. The FDA defines fat as "The sum
total of lipid fatty acids expressed as triglycerides." This would include all lipid materials suchas mono- and diglycerides, free-fatty acids, phospholipid fatty acids and stearoyl fatty acids. Thisdefinition means that the ether extract method for fat analysis will no longer be valid. Either theacid extract or chloroform/methanol extraction procedures must be used. When emulsifiers are apart of the formula, the use of these methods will result in the determination of a higher fat value.
Recent research has indicated that a puree made from dried plums can serve as a fat replacement
in many baked foods without the need for fat-based emulsifiers, Natural components of driedplums have been identified which are believed to be responsible for their fat-sparing ability as
follows:
Pectins. Dried plums contain a unique blend of both soluble and insoluble pectins, which help toform a stable film around air and leavening gas during mixing and bench time. The pectins arealso believed to have the ability to entrap flavor components for gradual release during
mastication
Sorbitol/Reducing Sugars. Dried plums are unique in their naturally high sorbitol content.
Sorbitol is an effective humectant, and thus helps to keep bakery products soft and moist over an
extended shelf life. The reducing sugars, fructose and glucose, work with sorbitol to provide
further humectancy.
Malic Acid. Dried plums contain about 2% naturally occurring malic acid, which has been shownto be an effective flavor enhancer. Malic acid is released more slowly than other organic acids(FIGURE 1), and thus has a greater carry-through during the chewing process. Additionally,
malic acid helps to inhibit microbial spoilage and can also serve as the natural acid component ofchemical leavening systems.
TABLE 3 illustrates how a dried plum puree can be used to replace emulsifiers and modified
starches in a "fat-free" muffin. Egg whites were reduced as the pectins in dried plums served in asimilar manner to entrap air while not causing excessive toughness sometimes associated withegg whites. The crystalline fructose was also removed due to the high percentage of reducing
sugars present in the dried plums. The resulting product contains less than 1/2 gram of fat/ oz.
versus over 1 gram of fat in the old formula. Thus, the reformulated product maintains fat-freestatus. Additionally, labeling is more acceptable to consumers and costs are reduced.
Dried plum puree is an effective fat replacer in soft cookies, cakes, muffins, brownies and icings.
It has traditionally been used to produce fillings. The dark color, however, limits its use to nonwhite bakery products. TABLES 4-6 provide starting formulas, which are all "fat-free" or low fat.
Bakers may also wish to start with their own formulas, merely replacing the shortening with thepuree. It has been found that 1 lb of shortening can be replaced with between 1/2 to 1 lb of puree.
Mixing times are generally reduced to prevent excessive gluten development in cake items.

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MOLD INHIBITION
Dried plum juice concentrate has been shown to be equal to or more effective than raisin juice
concentrate as a natural preservative in whole grain bread (4). In addition to mold inhibition, theconcentrate has superior softness and moistness properties due to it's high content of naturally
occurring sorbitol and reducing sugars. It was also noted that dried plum juice concentrate helped
to "round out" the flavor and reduce the bitterness associated with the bran fractions of wholegrain.
NATURAL BAKERY PRODUCTS
As of May 1994, nearly all packaged bakery products require nutritional labels. Many foods are
now being reformulated to both simplify ingredient statements and enhance nutritional content.
TABLE 7 illustrates how a dried plum puree can be used in a wheat bread formula to help
accomplish these objectives. Dried plums have replaced emulsifiers, caramel color and calcium
propionate. A reduction of salt was made possible due to the flavor enhancing effects of the malic
acid in dried plums. Shortening and refined sugars were also reduced. Thus, the resulting producthas a shorter, simpler ingredient statement, lower fat and lower sodium content.
TABLE 8 summarizes some of the functional attributes of dried plums, and suggests additives,
which are candidates for reduction or replacement. In many cases, resulting products have
improved nutritional profiles in addition to fewer artificial additives. The cost of using driedplums will of course vary according to the application. The impact on most products ranges froma slight increase to a cost savings depending on the additives being removed. In addition,
processing costs may be lowered when using dried plum products owing to fewer scaled
ingredients and reductions in "creaming" time. Any cost increase should be weighed against thepossible increase in sales due to a more favorable marketing position.

SUMMARY
Dried plums, once limited to the old stand-by “Danish." are now being used as natural functionalbakery ingredients. Consumer's desires for more natural, nutritional processed foods point tocontinued increase in the use of dried plums. The timing is right for researchers to focus on theuse of natural products to replace chemical additives. Dried plums contain a unique combinationof nutrition and functional components which bakers can use to help achieve their product andmarketing objectives for the 1990's and beyond.
REFERENCESThe Surgeon General's Report on Nutrition and Health, DHHS Pub. No. 88-50210, Dept. ofHealth and Human Services, 1988.
National Research Council, Diet and Health: Implications for Chronic Disease Risk. National
Academy Press, 1989.
Nutrition and Your Health: Dietary Guidelines for Americans, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture andDept. of Health and Human Services, 1990.
Sanders, S. W. 1991. Using Prune Juice Concentrate in Whole Wheat Bread and Other Bakery
Products. Cereal Foods World, 36(3): 280-283.

Page 3 of 9TABLE 1. COMPOSITION OF DRIED PLUMS*
Proximate

Per 100
Grams
Moisture (g)25.00Energy (Kcal)
251.00Protein (g)2.75
Fat (g)0.66
Ash (g)4.96
Total Dietary Fiber (g)8.10
Soluble Fiber (g)4.60
Total Carbohydrate (g)66.60
Available Carbohydrate (g)58.50
Minerals
Per 100
Grams
Calcium (mg)56.00
Copper (mg)
0.47
Iron (mg)2.78
Magnesium (mg)40.00
Manganese (mg)
0.24
Phosphorous (mg)88.00
Potassium (mg)829.00Sodium (mg)
4.40
Zinc (mg)0.58
Vitamins
Per 100
Grams
Vitamin C (mg)
3.64Thiamin (mg)
0.09
Riboflavin (mg)0.18
Niacin (mg)2.32
Pantothenic Acid (mg)0.51
Vitamin B6 (mg)0.30
Folacin (microg.)
4.10
Beta Carotene (mg)1.31
Simple Carbohydrates
Per 100
Grams
Fructose (g)14.00
Glucose (g)21.00
Sorbitol (g)15.00
Other Properties
Water Activity: 0.65-0.83 for a moisture range of 19-35%
pH (10% solution): 3.5-4.0
Organic Acid Content: 1.2-2.0 (primarily malic)*Values represent industry averages. As with all natural products,
they may vary somewhat.

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TABLE 2. DRIED PLUM BASED BAKERY INGREDIENTSPRODUCT FORM
Diced Dried Plums and Extruded Bits
Dried Plum Paste
Dried Plum Juice Concentrate
Dried Plum Powder/Granules/Flakes
Dried Plum Puree

SUGGESTED USES
Breads, muffins, cookies, cakes, fillings
Fillings, breads, bagels, cookies
Breads, pastries, cakes, cookies, muffins,
fillings
Dry mixes, bagels, reduced-fat/fat-freemixes
Reduced-fat/fat-free bakery cakes, cookies,
muffins, fillings

TABLE 3. LOW -/REDUCED-FAT BRAN MUFFINSINGREDIENT
Sugar (granulated)
Fructose (crystalline)
SaltBread Flour
Wheat Bran
Baking Powder
Baking Soda
Modified Starch
Emulsifier Blend
Tapioca Starch
Non-Fat Milk
Water
Egg White
Sodium Benzoate
Dried Plum Puree
APPROX. COST/LB. BATTER

Baker’s %OLD FORMULA
31.00
15.00
1.25
75.00
25.00
2.00
1.00
1.00
6.00
4.75
64.00
50.00
34.00
0.10
----$0.2862

Baker’s %DRIED PLUM
FORMULA
31.00-----1.00
75.00
25.00
2.00
1.00
------------64.00
50.00
15.00
----30.00$0.2628

INGREDIENT LISTINGSOLD FORMULA:
Wheat flour, non-fat milk, water, egg white, wheat bran, sugars (sugar, fructose), tapioca starch, modified
wheat starch, salt, baking powder, baking soda, mono- and diglycerides, sodium stearoyl lactylate, diacetyl
tartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides, polysorbate-60, sodium benzoate (a preservative).

NEW, IMPROVED FORMULA:
Wheat flour, non-fat milk, water, sugar, wheat bran, egg white, dried plums, salt, baking powder, bakingsoda.

THE BOTTOM LINE:
OLD FORMULA FAT CONTENT:Approximately 1.0 grams/oz., Higher Cost, Cluttered LabelNEW FORMULA FAT CONTENT:Less than 0.5 grams/oz., Less Cost, Shorter Ingredient Statement

Page 5 of 9TABLE 4. FAT-FREE CHEWY BROWNIESSTAGE 1
INGREDIENT
Dried Plum Puree
Sugar (granulated)
High Fructose Corn Syrup (71%)
Egg White
Dutch Cocoa (10 to 12% fat)Salt

AMOUNT(BAKERS %)
60.00
95.00
30.00
11.00
40.00
0.25

Procedure: Blend at low speed for 1 minute, scrape, then at high speed for
4 minutes. Scrape

STAGE 2
Flour (all purpose)
Baking Soda
Water

100.002.00
50.00

Procedure: Add to stage 1 and mix at low speed for 1 minute, scrape, thenmix at medium speed for 4 minutes.
Spread about ½” deep in lightly greased pan. Bake at 365 degrees
Fahrenheit for 20-26 minutes or until middle springs back to a light touch.
Optional topping: Chopped walnuts (will increase fat content)
Serving Size: 1 oz.
Fat: Less than 0.5 grams/oz.
Calories: 90/oz.
Calories from Fat: 5%

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TABLE 5. REDUCED-FAT CARROT CAKE/MUFFINS
STAGE 1
INGREDIENTS
Dried Plum Puree
Sugar (granulated)
Egg White
Vanilla Extract
Almond ExtractAMOUNT(BAKERS %)
91.0
89.0
15.0
1.40.7

Procedure: Mix at low speed for 30 seconds, scrape. Mix at high speed
until smooth and light.

STAGE 2Flour (all purpose)
Baking Powder
Baking Soda
SaltCinnamon
Carrots (shredded)
Pineapple (crushed, in juice)
Golden Raisins
Walnuts (diced)
Water

100.0
1.9
2.4
1.4
1.0
72.0
64.0
19.8
18.0
84.0

Procedure: Add to stage 1 and mix at low speed for 30 seconds. Scrape.
Mix again at low speed for 2 minutes or until well distributed. Depositinto oiled pans, about 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until top
springs back to a light touch (30-35 minutes for cakes; 25-30 minutes formuffins).

TABLE 6. FAT-FREE FUDGE SNACK CAKE MIX (16 OZ. BOX)
INGREDIENTS
Dried Plum Powder
Sugar (granulated)
Egg White (Powdered)
Cocoa (Red, 10-12% Fat)
Flour (all purpose)
Baking Soda
Salt

PERCENTAGE
10.0
47.0
0.4
11.7
30.0
0.4
0.3

GRAMS
45.4
213.4
1.8
53.1
136.2
1.8
1.4

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Pour mix (16 oz.) into mixing bowl.
3. Add 1-cup cold water and stir just until blended.
4. Pour into lightly oiled pan, about 1/2” to 3/4” thick.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until center springs back to a light touch.
NOTE: This mix can also be baked with microwave using a suitable microwavable baking pan.

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TABLE 7. NATURAL WHEAT BREAD IMPROVEMENTINGREDIENT
Patent Flour
Whole Wheat
Water
Wheat Gluten
Salt
Soybean Oil
High Fructose Corn Syrup
Monoglyceride
Yeast
Yeast Food
Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate
Caramel ColorCalcium Propionate
Enzyme Conditioner*
Dried Plum Puree
TOTALS
Cost/24 oz. loaf (27 oz. scale wt.)
Old Formula: $0.1441
New Formula: $0.1438

NEWOLDFORMULA COST
FORMULA COST
70.00
7.000
70.00
7.000
25.00
2.750
25.00
2.750
61.00
-----63.00----2.00
1.600--------2.25
0.135
1.50
0.090
3.00
0.390
0.50
0.065
11.00
1.100
6.00
0.600
0.50
0.250
--------3.50
1.220
3.50
1.220
0.50
0.200
--------0.50
0.410--------0.50
0.200--------0.20
0.110----------------.025
0.325--------4.00
2.760
179.95$15.365
173.75 $14.810*Enzyme-Based Bromate Replacer
COMPARATIVE INGREDIENT STATEMENTS
OLD FORMULATION
Enriched Wheat Flour [(Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Iron (Ferrous Sulfate), Thiamine Mononitrate(Vit. B-1), Riboflavin (Vit. B-2), Niacin (a B vitamin)], Water, Whole Wheat Flour, Corn Syrup, Contains
2% or less of each of the following: Yeast, Soybean Oil, Salt, Caramel Color, Dough Conditioners (Maycontain one or more of the following: Calcium or Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Ethoxylated
Monoglycerides, Mono- and Diglycerides, Monocalcium Phospate, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium
Bromate), Yeast Nutrients (May contain one or more of the following: Ammonium Sulfate, Ammonium
Chloride), Calcium Propionate (a preservative).
NEW FORMULATION:
Enriched Wheat Flour [(Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Iron (Ferrous Sulfate), Thiamine Mononitrate(Vit. B-1), Riboflavin (Vit. B-2), Niacin a B Vitamin)], Water, Whole Wheat Flour, Corn Syrup, DriedPlums, Yeast, Salt, Soybean Oil, Soy Flour, NO ARTIFICIAL PRESERVATIVES.

Page 8 of 9TABLE 8. FUNCTIONAL ATTRIBUTES OF DRIED PLUMSFUNCTIONALATTRIBUTESCANDIDATES FOR
REDUCTION/REPLACEMENT

Humectancy
Natural Color
Flavor Enhancement
Natural Sweetness
Natural Preservative
Fat Replacement

Mono- and Diglycerides, SSL
Caramel Color, Molasses
Salt, Artificial Flavors
Refined Sugars
Calcium Propionate
Emulsifiers, Modified Starches, Fats

FIGURE 1. RELATIVE FLAVOR RELEASE PROFILE OF MALIC ACID

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