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The last few times I bought plums or nectarines the stone appeared to have rotted out.

However, when eating one today upon noticing this same effect I noted what appeared to be a rectangular cut out where they stem had been attached to the fruit, this then made me think has this been mechanically removed to be sold off elsewhere to increase corporate profits.

I'm located in queensland Australia.

Has anyone else noticed this and does anyone know the reasoning behind it.

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    I have never seen this. Where do you live?
    – Peter Shor
    Nov 6, 2016 at 14:03
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    Pictures, please?
    – Stephie ♦
    Nov 6, 2016 at 15:19
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    I'm not sure what the value of a stone would be anyway. Perhaps it's intended to be a convenience but you'd think they'd advertise the fact, also it would spoil much quicker
    – Chris H
    Nov 6, 2016 at 17:28
  • How big was the rectangular cut out?
    – Stephie ♦
    Nov 7, 2016 at 17:04
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    Sounds like a punch was used, but not sure why this would be done, it would greatly reduce shelf life. I can only think of this being done for canning or processing and then surplus sold off. Yes, if this was done in a very short period the center would look oxidized as if he stone had rotten out and would degrade the quality. In some areas there have been fights over selling peach pit meat as almonds and nectarine kernels might also pass, but my experience with plums would be a smaller and more bitter product and I could only see this being done in a processing facility not for fresh saie.
    – dlb
    Nov 7, 2016 at 18:43

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I've seen it, and I was told that the stone fruit pits are often sold to drug and other remedy companies. The young man I spoke with said that apricot pits, for example, have compounds useful in fighting or treating cancer. I'm not sure if that is why the pits are removed, but it makes a lot of sense to me. Removing the pit lessens the weight of the fruit, so someone must be buying that missing weight for as much as or more than the amount for which you are buying the rest of the fruit.

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    That sounds so weird. If somebody really wanted the pits, you'd imagine they could get all they want for almost free, no effort, at the cannery. I'm curious: are you also located in Queensland, Australia?
    – Lorel C.
    Jan 19, 2017 at 0:41

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