Comparison of tannin levels in developing fruit buds of two orchard pear varieties using two techniques, Folin-Denis and protein precipitation assays.

As part of a study into dietary selection by avian pest species, the levels of phenolic material in pear buds have been determined using two approaches, the Folin-Denis assay and an assay based on the precipitation of bovine serum albumin by astringent phenols. The results of these two assays do not correlate over the sampling period and their overall significance to ecological studies is discussed.