In summer, we often want to make cold, light and quick dishes. That’s why it’s always good to keep a few canned tuna in the pantry – it’s a lifesaver! A versatile ingredient that can be the protagonist of many delicious and easy-to-prepare recipes – all without turning on the oven and stove. Besides, everyone likes tuna. In fact, a recent study found that we consume about 3 kilos of canned tuna per person in a year here in Italy? On the other hand, Italy is the second largest producer of canned tuna in Europe.
Tuna fishing
Many people believe that canned tuna is preserved and therefore unhealthy, especially when they do not appreciate canned tuna for the way it is produced – starting from fishing techniques. In fact, tuna fishing is very often carried out using illegal nets that are too long and narrow-meshed, causing enormous damage to the seabed. Most canned tuna is caught using fish-aggregating systems, also known as FAD, Fish Aggregation Devices. FADs are floating objects that attract fish and other animals, and they are used to approach tuna and concentrate them in the same area to catch them with large purse seines. The problem is that FADs also attract other marine species, including turtles, sharks and dolphins. For this reason, many companies have recently decided to switch to another method of fishing; though less simple and more laborious, rod fishing is more respectful of nature with a lower environmental impact.
How to choose canned tuna
As always, we recommend reading the labels. If the tuna is caught via rod fishing, the package will feature a a blue label. Make sure that the tuna is preserved in top quality extra-virgin olive oil. The percentage of oil must not be equal to that of the fish; on the contrary, there should be much more tuna than oil. Check if the product is made from frozen or processed fresh fish – and of course, choose the second option. Finally, pay attention to the presence of additives or flavor enhancers. A good quality canned tuna, either in oil or in brine (i.e. natural), would not need them. In general, always choose packages that state the species of tuna, the fishing method and the fishing area (the ocean and FAO area).