Why is the tinned tuna so white?

[giddyup]

I buy a brand called Nautilus from Macro, sometimes in brine, sometimes spring water and sometimes in oil, but it's always very white, like all the colour has been bleached out of it. I used to buy John West tuna in Australia and it was never that colour and it certainly had a lot more flavour and didn't taste so dry. Anyone else aware of the difference?

[PJcm]

Clorox

[bkkjames]

cooked

[giddyup]

Clorox

Why would they bleach it, is the natural colour unpalatable to Thais.

[CharlieH]

Moved to Food

[giddyup]

Moved to Food

Which one, there's three.

[krisb]

In Australia it's the type of tuna they use. It's not bleached, at least I really doubt it and I've never heard of bleaching tuna before.

There's 1 species of tuna here that is particularly white fleshed, it's called Albacore Tuna, and it's very nice, not quite as dry as the grey colored tuna variety.

Another variety of white flesh tuna is Northern Bluefin.

[96tehtarp]

In Australia it's the type of tuna they use. It's not bleached, at least I really doubt it and I've never heard of bleaching tuna before.

There's 1 species of tuna here that is particularly white fleshed, it's called Albacore Tuna, and it's very nice, not quite as dry as the grey colored tuna variety.

Another variety of white flesh tuna is Northern Bluefin.

I think that's the answer. It's probably the species of tuna rather that the cooking process. If the OP were to ask a sushi chef he's get a good insight into all the various types of tuna, some are extremely expensive.

[krisb]

In Australia it's the type of tuna they use. It's not bleached, at least I really doubt it and I've never heard of bleaching tuna before.

There's 1 species of tuna here that is particularly white fleshed, it's called Albacore Tuna, and it's very nice, not quite as dry as the grey colored tuna variety.

Another variety of white flesh tuna is Northern Bluefin.

I think that's the answer. It's probably the species of tuna rather that the cooking process. If the OP were to ask a sushi chef he's get a good insight into all the various types of tuna, some are extremely expensive.

Absolutely crazy what Japan I think it is will pay for giant tunas.

Delicious though eating a fresh tuna steak. Doesn't do the canned stuff justice.

[giddyup]

In Australia it's the type of tuna they use. It's not bleached, at least I really doubt it and I've never heard of bleaching tuna before.

There's 1 species of tuna here that is particularly white fleshed, it's called Albacore Tuna, and it's very nice, not quite as dry as the grey colored tuna variety.

Another variety of white flesh tuna is Northern Bluefin.

Albacore is the most expensive, so I doubt that's what's used in the brand I buy at Macro. As for it being bleached, it didn't take long with a Google search to turn up this:

. "Also, some tuna is precooked and bleached nice and white before canning to remove the oil that makes it spoil faster. The fish is then packed in vegetable oil or water. The result of this process is a loss of omega 3 fatty acids. Some specialty tunas are packed in their own oils and contain omega 3 fatty acids".

[mogandave]

While some species are lighter than others, flesh color (and flavor) has a lot to do with what they are feeding on as well. Tuna feeding on squid or sardine will be lighter and not as strong as tuna feeding on anchovy or mackerel.

[DeaconJohn]

In Australia it's the type of tuna they use. It's not bleached, at least I really doubt it and I've never heard of bleaching tuna before.

There's 1 species of tuna here that is particularly white fleshed, it's called Albacore Tuna, and it's very nice, not quite as dry as the grey colored tuna variety.

Another variety of white flesh tuna is Northern Bluefin.

Same in the US... Albacore is white, the others are usually pinkish.

[CaptHaddock]

I have never seen canned albacore tuna in Thailand.

[WheresWaldo]

Bleached white is better. Ask any Thai woman in Bangkok. She'll tell you.

[longstebe]

£2 a <deleted> can nowadays.

[AyG]

£2 a <deleted> can nowadays.

Are you sure about that? Sainsbury's offers its "Basics" tuna chunks at 99p/can.

John West is £1.25/can (pack of four).

Not that much more expensive than in Thailand. I think I paid 42 Baht for my last can.

[longstebe]

£2 a <deleted> can nowadays.

Are you sure about that? Sainsbury's offers its "Basics" tuna chunks at 99p/can.

John West is £1.25/can (pack of four).

Not that much more expensive than in Thailand. I think I paid 42 Baht for my last can.

These prices were last years prices.

I left the IOM last October only to return in January and the price had shot up to £2.

Saying that, everythings bloody expensive here.

[Anthony5]

£2 a <deleted> can nowadays.

Are you sure about that? Sainsbury's offers its "Basics" tuna chunks at 99p/can.

John West is £1.25/can (pack of four).

Not that much more expensive than in Thailand. I think I paid 42 Baht for my last can.

The Nautilus sandwich tuna in springwater I buy at Makro is 120 Baht for 4 cans.

[xylophone]

cooked

Mercury!!

[SheungWan]

The frozen fresh stuff one occasionally finds in Friendship is reddish in colour but comes out grey after I have finished with it in the microwave.

[winnerinsix]

When you catch Tuna, and steak them, the flesh can be a very deep red. Striped Tuna are a smaller species and the flesh is blood red. I think that species quite often finds it's way into cans... BUT......... when cooked the flesh lightens dramatically.. I think, as said earlier, it may be a lighter coloured flesh, species they are using.... They may well be bleaching it ( I don't know) but I don't *think* I encountered it before.

When I cook a Tuna steak, I do it much the same as beef.... seared on the outside and rare on the inside.... I am getting hungry thinking of it!!

[mogandave]

When you "loin" rather than steak a tuna the meat closest to the bone is generally much darker as well. What is steamed from the carcass is what makes it to the cans of sandwich tuna and spread.

It all gets whiter when cooked.

I hope to kill my share come July....

[MaeJoMTB]

£2 a <deleted> can nowadays.

Are you sure about that? Sainsbury's offers its "Basics" tuna chunks at 99p/can.

John West is £1.25/can (pack of four).

Not that much more expensive than in Thailand. I think I paid 42 Baht for my last can.

These prices were last years prices.

I left the IOM last October only to return in January and the price had shot up to £2.

Saying that, everythings bloody expensive here.

Online at Tesco.com

Tesco Everyday Value Tuna Chunks 74p (160g)

John West Tuna Chunks (x4) 5GBP (160g x4) = 125p/can

Edited March 9, 2015 by MaeJoMTB

[longstebe]

I'll double check again but like I say, here on the island, everything is expensive.

[longstebe]

See if this works.

[WitawatWatawit]

In Australia it's the type of tuna they use. It's not bleached, at least I really doubt it and I've never heard of bleaching tuna before.

There's 1 species of tuna here that is particularly white fleshed, it's called Albacore Tuna, and it's very nice, not quite as dry as the grey colored tuna variety.

Another variety of white flesh tuna is Northern Bluefin.

Sidetracking - my dad, thru his job, used to get fresh albicore off the trawlers. He make chicken stuffing, roll it, coat it in honey (clover, I think), wrap it in tinfoil and cook it in the oven. Chicken of the sea. To die for.

Now you've made me bloody homesick.

[MaeJoMTB]

@longstebe

Ayg quoted prices of value cans and John West, which I verified as same price and cheaper now.

Not sure what that has to do with the product make you posted at 1.99/can.

[longstebe]

@longstebe

Ayg quoted prices of value cans and John West, which I verified as same price and cheaper now.

Not sure what that has to do with the product make you posted at 1.99/can.

I'd originally said it was £2 per can.

[Mrjlh]

Simple...like some one already said but no one noticed...It's been "COOKED". Most likely Over cooked. The white is albumin in the meat.

And one other possibility...it isn't really Salmon.

Edited March 9, 2015 by Mrjlh

[mogandave]

...it isn't really Salmon.

Salmon is typically stronger than tuna...