{"id":3358,"date":"2013-01-21T00:59:07","date_gmt":"2013-01-21T00:59:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cookingatdebras.com\/eng\/?p=3358"},"modified":"2013-01-21T00:59:07","modified_gmt":"2013-01-21T00:59:07","slug":"tasters-evaluate-7-brands-of-canned-light-tuna","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cookingatdebras.com\/eng\/2013\/01\/21\/tasters-evaluate-7-brands-of-canned-light-tuna\/","title":{"rendered":"Tasters evaluate 7 brands of canned light tuna"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Whether tuna is raw in sushi and sashimi, grilled as a steak, or scooped from a can, the fish is awash in controversy. Overfishing, mercury levels, and dolphins caught in nets meant for tuna account for this. Where once a tuna sandwich for lunch was a routine event, we no longer eat canned tuna without thinking about it. Still, almost everyone has a can in the cupboard, for that favorite sandwich spread with mayo, or without adornment to add substance to a green salad or a pasta sauce.<\/p>\n

Most tuna absorb mercury by feeding on other fish or by eating plants exposed to it, whether naturally or through pollution. Albacore white tuna is a larger species, which generally has more mercury. Skipjack, a smaller species, is used in chunk light canned tuna. Mercury levels also depend on the age and provenance of the fish.<\/p>\n

The Food and Drug Administration recommends limiting the amount of fish with higher mercury levels and eating low-mercury fish such as shrimp, canned light tuna,catfish, pollock, and salmon. The complete FDA list is at\u00a0www.fda.gov.<\/a><\/p>\n

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We tasted seven brands of chunk light canned tuna in water with a group of students from Boston University\u2019s Culinary Arts program. Students alternated slices of apple with plain tuna. Color ranged from light beige to a more tawny, darker shade.<\/p>\n

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Brands with larger chunks made one taster comment: \u201cThe solid chunk of tuna was a good sign of the taste.\u201d Another taster said after sampling Starkist (she didn\u2019t know what brand it was at the time), \u201cNeeds a whole apple to cleanse my palate.\u201d One student was happy to taste tuna in water because that\u2019s what she buys, then adds her own olive oil. \u201cI taste the metal in the can when you buy the tuna in olive oil.\u201d<\/p>\n

Our future chefs were looking for a \u201cpleasant fish taste,\u201d but nothing \u201cfishy tasting.\u201d For texture they wanted something \u201cmoist but not slimy.\u201d Although there was no overwhelming winner, a Stop & Shop house brand, Nature\u2019s Promise, with three ingredients (light tuna, water, and salt) was the favorite. No single brand was considered worst, but Starkist and Natural Sea (bought at Whole Foods) tied for the honor.<\/p>\n

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Say, did anyone notice that cans of tuna shrank from 7 ounces to 5 ounces? You have to spread it mighty thin for more than two sandwiches. Just another complaint, among many.<\/p>\n

Bumble Bee Chunk Light Tuna\u00a0in Water<\/strong><\/p>\n

$1.49 for 5 ounces<\/i><\/p>\n

First the appearance: \u201cSlightly wet look that makes it appear fresh. Excess moisture gives it a mushy texture. Pleasant canned tuna flavor.\u201d \u201cAppears moist, but mushy. Small broken pieces. No cohesive coloring. Mix of pink and white. More chewy.\u201d \u201cGreat appearance, moist. Has fish flavor with no uncomfortable aftertaste.\u201d Texture: \u201cKind of bland and the moisture is quite over the top. Wouldn\u2019t make good tuna salad.\u201d \u201cVery wet and finely chopped. Has very fishy smell.\u201d One taster gave it the ultimate insult. \u201cHow I imagine cat food to taste. But I like the texture.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chicken of the Sea Chunk Light Tuna in Water<\/strong><\/p>\n

$1.83 for 5 ounces<\/i><\/p>\n

Many noticed the size of the chunks (actually shreds), but the flavor was decent. \u201cLooks over-processed, but nice and moist. Not a lot of flavor.\u201d \u201cAppears crablike due to small shreds. Moist and more salty than rest.\u201d \u201cGrainy and dry with good flavor.\u201d Finally: \u201cVery broken up into small pieces. Moist and good flavor. Lacking in texture, almost chalky.\u201d One pan: \u201cLooks like mushy wet cardboard. Sadly, it tastes like it too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Food Club Chunk Light Tuna in Water<\/strong><\/p>\n

$1.19 for 5 ounces<\/i><\/p>\n

The moist texture elicited \u201cmushy,\u201d \u201cslimy,\u201d and \u201cgummy\u201d comments. \u201cThe wet look made it seem fresher but it turns to mush in your mouth. Feels over-processed.\u201d \u201cSmall flakes. Moist appearance. Dries out very fast. Slimy in the mouth. Taste is almost nonexistent.\u201d \u201cNot horrible. Way too slimy.\u201d \u201cSalty with a decent tuna flavor. Gummy in the mouth.\u201d \u201cHas an aluminum taste. Very wet and pretty odorless.\u201d<\/p>\n

One chose this as least favorite, but submitted a thesis: \u201cDisturbingly moist, soggy, and uncomfortably soft in the mouth. I have a feeling you could spread this tuna as is, but you wouldn\u2019t want to. Similar to the texture of wet cat food, upsetting.\u201d Two tasters were not as put off: \u201cLight and fluffy. Good taste and light color.\u201d \u201cIt doesn\u2019t really look bad.\u201d<\/p>\n

Geisha Chunk Light Tuna in Water<\/strong><\/p>\n

89 cents for 5 ounces<\/i><\/p>\n

This brand was the least expensive of the lot. Alas, some skin among the flakes. \u201cI got a piece of tuna skin. Could be either artisanal or sloppy manufacturing. I think it is the latter. Taste-wise, not bad.\u201d \u201cLighter more delicate flavor, almost like shellfish. Texture is a little mushy.\u201d \u201cLooks very dry but actually fairly moist. A little grainy, not great flavor.\u201d \u201cVery dry in the mouth, almost feels difficult to chew. Mild flavor. Slightly metallic aftertaste.\u201d \u201cTastes like sawdust.\u201d Still, one chose it as a favorite: \u201cPerfectly chunked. Not fishy, very weak flavor, texture is moist and appealing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nature\u2019s Promise Natural\u00a0Chunk Light Tuna in Water<\/strong><\/p>\n

(Stop & Shop house brand) $1.65\u00a0for 5 ounces<\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cBest tuna flavor by far. Texture is moderately dry.\u201d \u201cDarker in color. Moist, classic tuna taste. Overall, very pleasant.\u2019\u2019 \u201cHas a good texture and taste not too fishy.\u201d \u201cVery moist and appealing mouth feel but not too pretty to look at because it appears rather soggy. Good flavor, just adequately fishy.\u201d Another expounded on the dryness. \u201cLooks nice and flaky. Very dry, not pleasant to eat. Sticks to your mouth because it lacks moisture.\u201d One who chose it as the worst also noted its dryness. \u201cThin larger pieces, a hint of unpleasant aroma, like gasoline\/oil\/fumes. Dries out quickly in mouth. Unpleasant texture that lingers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Natural Sea Chunk Light Tuna in Water<\/strong><\/p>\n

$2.99 for 6 ounces<\/i><\/p>\n

The most expensive of the seven we tasted, this brand, which we found at Whole Foods Market, drew lots of negative comments. \u201cNasty tuna. Way too fishy. Not even chunked. It has specks.\u201d \u201cComes in big clumps of tuna. Particularly salty.\u201d \u201cA bolder, even darker, flavor than some of the others, but not overly fishy. I am disturbed by this tuna\u2019s appearance. Rigid concentric circles that remind me of cat food.\u201d It was chosen worst by two tasters. \u201cParts are dried out. Unpleasant lingering aftertaste. Very fishy flavor.\u201d \u201cLooks very dry and tastes grainy. It felt like I had fine sand in my mouth. Such an unpleasant texture.\u201d But a favorite for one: \u201cLarge chunks, appears to have more value. Provides nice chew and dissolves evenly in mouth. Mild aroma, almost unnoticeable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Starkist Chunk Light Tuna in Water<\/strong><\/p>\n

$1.55 for 5 ounces<\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cFrom the look of it, I have a very good feeling about this one. It doesn\u2019t taste spectacular. Very solid can of tuna.\u201d \u201cLots of moisture when chewed, but tuna holds its form and texture. Very pleasant tuna taste.\u201d Two could taste the can: \u201cThis one has a slightly metallic taste. The texture is only slightly dry.\u201d \u201cMetallic aftertaste that lingers.\u201d Others also found it lacking. \u201cVery dry. No distinctive character. Leaves unpleasant texture in mouth.\u201d \u201cVery bland. Hardly tastes like anything. Mushy and boring.\u201d One chose it the least favorite: \u201cHorrible. Never buy!\u201d<\/p>\n

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  Whether tuna is raw in sushi and sashimi, grilled as a steak, or scooped from a can, the fish is awash in controversy. Overfishing, mercury levels, and dolphins caught in nets meant for tuna account for this. Where once a tuna sandwich for lunch was a routine event, we no longer eat canned tuna […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3366,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[139,153,83],"tags":[201,202],"class_list":["post-3358","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-boston","category-lunch","category-taste-kitchen-articles","tag-canned-tuna","tag-mercury"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cookingatdebras.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3358","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cookingatdebras.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cookingatdebras.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cookingatdebras.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cookingatdebras.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3358"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.cookingatdebras.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3358\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3420,"href":"https:\/\/www.cookingatdebras.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3358\/revisions\/3420"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cookingatdebras.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3366"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cookingatdebras.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3358"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cookingatdebras.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3358"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cookingatdebras.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3358"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}