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History
Plum Tree
From the Ente Plum to the Prune
Handling
 
 
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Drying

The drying operation involves dehydrating the fresh Ente plums which can then be preserved for long periods, as prunes.
Once harvested, the fresh plums are transported to the production site where they are washed, sorted to eliminate poor quality fruit, and graded into batches of even-sized fruit. The plums are then spread out onto drying trays (high-quality stainless steel grids assembled on wooden frames). The trays are then placed on trolleys which slowly move through the drying tunnels.
For centuries, prune production was essentially carried out empirically as a cottage industry. The art has now developed into a technique based on well-defined principles.
In the past, the plums were first left outdoors on trays or straw and then dried in bread ovens or special kilns, remains of which are sometimes found on farms in the Lot-et-Garonne.

Today, drying takes place in continuous tunnels with powerful ventilation. A single pass at an average temperature of 70°C lasting 16 to 24 hours is enough to transform the plums into prunes. Most tunnels used in the Agen region will handle 8 to 11 tonnes of prunes per day. After drying, the prunes have an average moisture content of 21 to 23 %. About 3.5 kg of fresh plums are required to obtain 1 kg of Agen prunes, after drying under controlled temperature and humidity conditions.