There are no prunes in Dr Pepper, there were no prunes in it before. ( Before what? Before there were no prunes in it?) The company sez and has often sed, ""There are 23 flavors and other ingredients (none of which are prunes) that produce the inimitable taste of Dr Pepper." and, '... Dr Pepper doesn't now contain prune juice, nor did it at any time in the beverage's history.' The label ingredient list has "carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, caramel color, phosphoric acid, artificial and natural flavors, sodium benzoate (preservative), caffeine." US FDA regs allow the listing of "natural flavorings" and approved "artificial flavorings" without having to list them specifically. DP says the natural flavorings are a "blending of pure fruit flavors (gathered throughout the world) with mystic spices from far-off Madagascar."( Ah, yes, the majestic phosphoric acid plantations of Madagascar.) The actual formula is a secret, there are at least 23 ingredients on two lists each containing half the ingredients and locked in vaults at two separate banks in Dallas. Four people have access to the lists, two for each half. I dunno how important this DP ingredient debate is elsewhere, but here in Texas, is part of the 'coming of age' ritual. Not only prunes were blamed for the 'inimitable taste,' other culprits included plums (which would be unpruned prunes) cherries, black pepper, chili pepper, bell pepper, peppermint and even the pits or skins of plums, apricots, peaches, cherries and other fruits. DP denies the use of any of them as well as kola. I had to abstain in the debate, I hate DP (as a Native Texan, I hang my head in shame), to me it tastes like a particularly nasty cough medicine my Grannie used to concoct, hmm mebbe tha secrut ingreedunt is laudanum?) To this day a good friend insists it's prune juice, 'all ya gotta do is let it go flat and taste it.' Flat DP tastes like a particularly nasty cough medicine my Mom used to BUY, mebbee the secret is codeine? If Coke can have coke and 7-Up, uppers then... Ever so often one of the larger newspapers will have some tasters, wine, tea, coffee, etc, sample DP, the experts opinions are no more enlightening than barefoot boy's. The true gourmet's debate concerns the modern fructose formula Vs the original cane sugar formula. There is only one place ya can get original formula cane sugar DP, The Dublin Bottling Works in Dublin, Texas, folks drive 100s of miles to but it by the pickup load. And not just any cane sugar, Imperial Pure Cane Sugar from Sugar Land, Texas, sometimes Dublin is the only ally Imperial has at it competes against cheaper beet sugar. You can take a taste test yourself, head on out to Dublin, pickup some DP and road snacks, head over to Waco and tour the Headquarters, see the "What's NOT in Dr Pepper" display at the DP museum, pick up some free samples and hit the road for Sugar Land, where Leadbelly prayed to "Let the Midnight Special shines it everlovin' light" on him as he chopped cane on the State Prison Farm. ( When you get the snacks don't get any prunes, it's a 300+ mile, 7+ hour trip, including a stop in Brenham to pick up some Blue Bell Icecream.) Dublin Bottling Works http://www.texastwisted.com/attr/dpplant/ ( how the west was weird) http://www.dublindrpepper.com/ Dr Pepper http://www.drpepper.com/ Dr Pepper Museum http://www.drpeppermuseum.org/ Imperial Sugar http://imperialsugar.com/fw/main/Home-1.html Some references RE Dr Prune http://www.snopes.com/business/secret/drpepper.asp http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mdrpepper.html

A little history- The drink originated no later than December of 1885, in Waco, Texas, and introduced nationally in the United States at the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition. It was created by a German pharmacist named Charles Alderton, working with the proprietor of Morrison's Old Corner Drug Store & soda fountain, Wade Morrison. Visiting patrons at Morrison's soda fountain would order what was then called a "Waco." It is believed by some that the drink was named after Morrison's former employer in Texas, but this has been disputed by the Dr Pepper company itself, which claims Morrison once lived in Wythe County, Virginia near a Dr. Charles T. Pepper, and may have been romantically involved with Pepper's daughter. The name is also at times referred to as a play on words- "pep", to pep one up via the drink's magical ability. Dr Pepper is not marketed as a cola per se, like competiors RC, Coca-cola, and Pepsi. Dr Pepper's flavor was supposedly derived from a mixture of soda fountain flavors popular when the drink was first mixed. A partial list of these flavors can be seen at the Texas bottling plant, though the full list is a closely guarded secret. The original formula, which can still be ordered in certain locations and at dublindrpepper.com , is made with cane sugar, and is rumored to be highly superior to the mass-market version using corn syrup. It is believed cherry and vanilla are part of the ingredients. Some suggest Guarana. Dr Pepper claims it does not, and never has, contained prune juice. Many fans believe otherwise. and some even swear that, many moons ago, when the drink was still fairly unknown, the bottle contained prune juice on the label. Fans of the drink also claim that bottled Dr. Pepper is far superior to canned Dr. Pepper. Other suggestions? Including the above- Amaretto, apricot, allspice, almond, burdock root, burnt rum, black licorice, bitters (such as Angostura brand), blackberry, birch bark, clove, coriander, carrot, caramel, cola nuts, caramel, chocolate, cherry, cardomom, dandilion root, dog grass, fennel, grapefruit, ginger, guaiacum chips, grape, guarana, hops, juniper, nutmeg, lemon, lime, mace, molasses, orange, peach, prune (although denied), plum, prickly ash bark, pepper, pipsissewa, raspberry, rhubarb, rosemary, root beer, sassafras root, spikenard, sarspirilla root, spicewood, star anise, tomato, vanilla, wintergreen, wild cherry bark, and yellow dock. Anyone think anything else? Oh, and if you're really a fanatic, here's a fun website to poke around... http://www.freenewyork.net/dpfaq.html