White efflorescence on home-dried prunes
After a year or so of storage in ZipLoc bags in the fridge, my home-dried prunes have developed a bit of whitish crust. At first I thought it was mold, but it seems like a crystalline efflorescence, and doesn't smell or taste bad. The prunes seem normal and taste fine.
The prunes, freshly picked from my tree, weren't pre-treated before drying, but after drying were lightly sprayed with a solution of potassium sorbate (mold inhibitor) at the recommended strength.
My current hypothesis is that this is sugar that has migrated out of the fruit and recrystallized on the surface, but I have no idea if this is right.
Thoughts?
Best Answer
I recently got a box of dried fruits (including plums) from a friend. There was a note on the box: 'never mind the white crust, that's just sugar'.
I'm quite sure your plums have sugar on their skin. Or maybe some dried potassium sorbate but nothing harmful.
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What is the white stuff on dried prunes?
\u201c-Sugar\u201d deposits occur more commonly on the stored unprocessed fruit than on packaged fruit. The condition occurs very frequently in dried prunes and figs and less commonly in other dried fruits. The sugary substance appears as a' deposition either on the surface or immediately under the skin of the dried fruit.How do you know if dried plums are bad?
How to tell if dried plums are bad or spoiled? The best way is to smell and look at the dried plums: discard any that have an off smell or appearance; if mold appears, discard the dried plums.Do dried prunes spoil?
Fruits such as dried apricots, prunes, and raisins will keep at top quality in the pantry for six months. After opening, you may wish to store them tightly sealed in the refrigerator to preserve the quality for up to six additional months or freeze them for one month.Do prunes get moldy?
Dates, prunes, apricots, figs and raisins are the major dried fruits produced in the Mediterranean area. Dried fruits are not perishable but can support mold growth, some of which can produce mycotoxins.Efflorescence Tips and Tricks
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