AbstractsMedical & Health Science

Commercial utilization of pollinizing varieties of pears is important both for pear growers and processors in Oregon. A study was made to determine the suitability of Comice, Packam's Triumph and Anjou, the three pollinizing varieties of pears, for dehydration, as compared to the Bartlett variety which is commercially used for dehydration. These four varieties were dehydrated using conventional and dry-blanch-dry methods and were subsequently stored at 70°F. The storage period of Bartlett, Comice, Anjou, and Packam's Triumph was 275, 212, 186 and 175 days, respectively. Both fresh and dehydrated pears were analyzed for moisture, total acid, and total sugar. The over-all drying ratio and rehydration percentage of each dehydrated lot was determined. After storage, the dehydrated pears were evaluated for flavor, texture, color, over-all appearance, and over-all desirability by a panel of eight judges. The results indicated the following conclusions. (1) There was no significant difference in the over-all drying ratio of the unpeeled dried pears of all four varieties and treatments. (2) Peeled dried Packam's Triumph had the highest over-all drying ratio followed by Anjou, Comice, and Bartlett, respectively. (3) Bartlett had the highest rehydration percentage followed by Anjou, Comice, and Packam's Triumph, respectively. (4) There was no significant difference in the rehydration percentage of conventionally dried unpeeled and dry-blanch-dry unpeeled pears. But dry-blanch-dry peeled pears had a significantly higher rehydration percentage than the conventionally dried peeled pears. (5) The dehydrated Anjou pears had the lowest total sugar content of all four varieties. Packam's Triumph had a higher total sugar content than Anjou but lower than Comice and Bartlett. The total sugar content of the latter two varieties did not vary significantly. (6) The dehydrated Anjou pears had the highest total acid content of all the four varieties. Packam's Triumph had lower total acid content than Comice and Bartlett. The total acid content of the latter two varieties did not vary significantly. (7) The flavor, texture, and over-all appearance of all dehydrated lots did not vary significantly. The flavor and texture of all lots were liked by the panel, but the over-all appearance of these lots was disliked by the panel. (8) The color of peeled dried pears was rated higher than unpeeled dried pears by the panel regardless of variety and method of dehydration. The panel liked the color of dry-blanch-dry unpeeled and peeled pears more than corresponding conventionally dried unpeeled and peeled pears. The color of Comice and Anjou was rated higher than Bartlett and Packam's Triumph by the panel. The color of the latter two varieties was disliked by the panel. (9) The over-all desirability of all four varieties was rated higher than average by the panel.