Utilization of surplus Italian prunes

Graduation date: 1938Prune growers of Oregon are faced with the prospect\ud of large crops and surpluses for the next few years. These\ud surpluses will probably be felt in both fresh and dried prunes.\ud This thesis presents the results of an investigation to find.\ud new markets and new products which will be of value in utilizing\ud these surpluses. The following products have been investigated\ud and are included in this report.\ud Canned prepared dried prunes. A. prolonged study was\ud made of the effect of prepared Italian prunes on various\ud types of cans. It was found that plain charcoal cans were\ud entirely satisfactory over a period of 11 months' storage.\ud Single enameled cans should not be used as they swell in\ud less than eight months' storage. Methods of preparation of\ud prunes for canning were studied. A long pre-soaking was\ud found most satisfactory, for high quality. Short hot blanch\ud before canning can be used if proper conditions of syrup and\ud fill are observed. Yields and costs were given for the two\ud methods of preparation.\ud Prune beverages. Three types of prune beverages were\ud discussed. Pulpy juice was most promising. A cloudy and a\ud clear beverage were also satisfactory. Yields and costs were\ud given and compared.\ud Pitted prune pulp. Small or low-grade dried prunes\ud were made into pulp by means of a suitable machine. This\ud product was suitable for use in the bakery trade.\ud Halved Pitted prunes. Fresh prunes were split and\ud pitted before drying. The machine to do this was developed\ud during this investigation. Large savings were effected in\ud drying time, because of quicker evaporation of moisture from\ud these halved prunes. Because of shorter drying time and lower\ud temperature the quality was more nearly that of fresh prunes.\ud Fresh Prune Juice. Small or low-grade fresh prunes\ud were used to make a pulpy fresh prune juice. This product\ud was excellent in flavor and color. Cloudy fresh prune juice\ud was not satisfactory either in flavor, in body, or in yield.\ud Fresh Prune Pulp. This was prepared from fresh prunes.\ud It proved to be a very good means of fresh prune utilization.\ud The combined effect of the products studied in this\ud report, if they are developed and marketed, should prove\ud beneficial to marketing conditions of the northwest Italian\ud prunes