The 'Pruneau d'Agen' is produced in a specific geographical area in France. It is a dried fruit from the Prune d'Ente family and made through several industrial processes, the most common being rehydration and stoning. China has granted GI protection for Pruneau d'Agen and Pruneau d'Agen mi-cuits since October 2011.
The Pruneau d'Agen is shaped like an egg, and is a dark-brown/black color, shiny, not sticky, soft-textured, with an uncaramelised middle somewhere between brown-yellow and golden-yellow in color, and no mould or other fungus. Agen prunes should be whole and fleshy with a wrinkled, unbroken skin. Agen prunes are sold in packs of uniform size with a moisture content up to a maximum of 35 % indicated on the packaging. Every 500 grams of agen prunes must contain fewer than 77 particiles.
Growing of the Ente plum tree in the region dates back to the 12th century. The unique Mediterranean climate and high-quality soil endow the Ente plum tree and Agen prunes with moderate sweet and sour quality. The plums are gathered at peak ripeness and are dried for 72 hours in special dehydration rooms after collection, until the residual moisture content is below 23 %. The Pruneau d' Agen mi-cuit is obtained by stopping the drying process as soon as the moisture content is between 30 and 35 %.
(Courtesy of the IP Protection Department of CNIPA)
(Editor Shao Jingjing)
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