| A favorite of students and foodservice operators, canned pears are a staple on many school menus; meeting USDA fruit serving requirements and available year-round.
The Pacific Northwest Canned Pear Service advises canned pear buyers to look closely for the products country of origin. When it comes to canned pears, a low price point may not add up to value. In terms of safety, quality and flavor, fruit grown and processed in the United States enjoys several advantages.
Safety is a big concern for operators and consumers, and USDA grade standards are not used in many countries exporting foods into the United States:
- Misleading terms like choice quality should not be considered a replacement for USDA approval.
- Buyers have reported serious quality issues with imported fruit, including grainy texture, discoloration, leaking and damaged cans, and low drained weights.
USA-grown and processed canned Bartlett pears combine quality, safety, flavor, and price to deliver a considerably better value than imported fruit, proving that the Product of the USA label makes a significant difference.
Equally important, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) mandates a Buy American provision for the National School Lunch and Breakfast programs. |
