One of our panelists used to serve canned pears to her children at least once a week. After our tasting, she said she was feeling a bit ashamed of herself. In the future, if she can't find fresh pears, she said she would offer her children another type of fruit. It was a reader who asked Taster's Choice to help in her search for a good canned pear. Unfortunately, our judges didn't have much luck either. But we did compare the six brands we found at local grocery stores.
Kathy Saunders, Times correspondent
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| Product/Score (out of 100) | GFS (Gordon Food Service) Marketplace /60 | Del Monte/48 | Great Value/34 |
| How'd it look? | Plump and full. The largest of the group. | Nicely pear-shaped and smooth. | Small and not perfectly pear-shaped. |
| Judges' comments | These pears were firm and were a nice size for a salad. "They have a sweet and mellow flavor," said one judge. "They are the best by far," she added. Another panelist described the taste as "autumnlike." | "These are soft but not mushy," said judges. All of them liked the sweet flavor and creamy color. "This would make a great presentation on a salad plate," said one panelist. | They are firm and fresh but not too tasty. One judge used the term "lifeless" to describe the flavor. |
| Would they buy? | All four judges said yes. | Two of the four judges said yes. | None of the judges said yes. |
| Shopping information | $6.29 for a gallon at Gordon Food Service Marketplace. | $1.89 for a 15-ounce can at Publix. | 98 cents for a 15-ounce can at Wal-Mart. |
Panelists: Nan Jensen, registered dietitian with Pinellas County Cooperative Extension; Jim Yockey, aesthetician at Anu You Institute; Rhonda Sanderford of Yes-Homes, Smith & Associates Real Estate; and Julie Overton, consumer and mother of four.
Send suggestions for product testing to: Taste section, St. Petersburg Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731 or e-mail them to jkeeler@sptimes.com. Please put TEST SUGGESTION in the subject line. To read past Taster's Choice columns, go to food.tampabay.com.
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