John West Sardines in Sunflower Oil A 0.65/120g Quite squashed and broken up in the tin, these strong tasting fish have added salt which enhances their flavour. Nice meaty fish with good texture and robust bite. Very tasty.

****

Picnic sardines A 0.57/120g With pale silver skin, these sardines look most appealing of all four sampled and were in the best condition in the tin.

Very mild with good, firm meat but they didn't have much flavour.

***

Rob Roy Portuguese Sardines in Vegetable Oil A 0.49c/120g Preserved in vegetable oil, these fish proved mild and moist.

Nicely meaty and succulent, they were found to have the best flavour of all four samples.

*****

Tesco Sardines in Sunflower Oil A 0.43/120g Packed in Morocco, these were unusually mild to taste. A cotton wool texture and blandness of taste made them instantly forgettable.

*Jillian Bolger BEST BUY