Chicken of the Sea

[Stwood]

We bought some of the 2.5oz sealed packets, different variety's for some LT storage.
Figured they would be a quick meal for 2, small sandwiches, cheap in price, usually around a buck a package. Carry a few in the GHB, and keep some in the storeroom and pantry.

Of the 4-5 different varieties, we have tried all but the one that is a barbecued pink salmon.
Until yesterday, we opened one of those up for a evening snack.

Luckily, we only have 1 of those varieties left. We will not be purchasing any more barbecue salmon. 

I try to purchase small quantities and try them before buying big.
And....store what you eat. 

[Redman]

Interesting, hmm.

[Redman]

I'm currently investigating Herring fillets, fish steaks and smoked oysters as items I want to keep a few dozen of on hand. I'm not a sardine fan.

I've found the best price is on Beach Cliff brand. I really want some Crown Prince smoked herring fillets, love those but they are twice the price of the other stuff. I may get some. You need to watch what you buy on the Crown Prince brand. The products in red boxes and cans mostly comes from Canada. The produce in white cellophane and cans comes from China if it makes any difference to you.

[Stwood]

Yea....I tend to get a little queasy when a food product says made/produced in China.

[Redman]

I discovered that when I bought a can kipper snacks at DT. Wally's costs a little less anyway.

[Stwood]

Yes. Gotta watch DT and also Aldi's.
I had a case of those 12oz fruit filled mason jars in the cart before realizing they came from China. I took them back out.

[David in MN]

A lot depends on international markets. I would sweat a little about a fruit product made in China because we grow fruit here. How is thaat cheaper?

But fish... I'll confess to eating Chinese canned tuna. It's done because the tuna market is much bigger in Asia and processing in Asia means a fresher fish and likely better flavor. If you're buying a major brand trust me they run the same retort canning machines no matter where they process. Any tuna will be safe if correctly canned. I realize there also might be risks for pollution and contamination but that's all fish (my beloved sardines are a big risk of heavy metals) so don't eat canned fish every day.

There are products that seem to differentiate on location, though. Clearly smoked kippers and pickled herring have preferred global regions. Canned crab frequently comes from Vietnam and Thailand but you wouldn't think canned crab as a substitute for Alaskan king. Brunswick sardines are usually from Canada and King Oscar are frequently packed in Poland. Differences there might be regional instead of quality.

Here's a cool fact sheet about tuna and where it comes from.
https://www.seafoodhealthfacts.org/seafood-choices/description-top-commercial-seafood-items/canned-tuna

[mountainmoma]

If you want fresh tuna there is tuna caught off the west coast and fresh canned in Oregon.  Most tuna that is from the west coast is frozen and processed overseas, but there are a few brands processed fresh and not frozen.  So it is not all the same processing or contaminant risk or the same tuna. 

http://seafarepacific.com/sustainability/

it is just alot cheaper to process food overseas, it is not fresher to freeze, transport, thaw and then can, but that is what is happening because of dirt cheap labor overseas

http://seafarepacific.com/our-products/grocery-sport-pouches/sea-salt/

that is 100 calories and 16 grams of protein for 2 ounces vs. 3 ounces being 80 calories and 14 grams of protein for chicken of the sea water packed https://chickenofthesea.com/products/tuna/solid-white-albacore-tuna-in-water

so  comparing 3 ounces gives 150 calories and 24 grams of protein for sea fare albacore vs 80 calories and 14 grams for chicken of the sea.  The cheaper tuna, chicken of the sea has fillers, part of its weight is not tuna, in this case water, so you are getting almost double the nutrition from the sea fare tuna as well as a far different taste and product.  The sea fare tuna never has water or oil added, it is all tuna. 


https://www.azurestandard.com/shop/product/food/fish/tuna/albacore/meat/albacore-tuna-sea-salt/14362?package=GY946

for 3 oz packages, it is $3.27, (it is cheaper per serving to get the larger 6 ounce packaging)so that is $3.27 for 150 calories and 24 grams of protein, so 1.5 servings.  still more expensive per gram of protein/calorie than cheap tuna but it is fished by line by Oregon fishing crews and processed fresh in Coos Bay by Americans making a good salary

Sweet creek also has Oregon caught and oregon canned, in glass like home canning in this case,  for about the same price per ounce os Sea fare http://sweetcreekfoods.com/gallery/

sold at Azure standard also and I want them growing or fishing for and processing my food as opposed to China every time

[mountainmoma]

If you need it in a can for prepping durability, there is one caught and fresh canned in Washington state, Island Trollers brand

And none of the Standard tuna web sites show ingredients, only nutrition charts, so I hadnt mentioned they often/usually use "broth" not just water which has soy, for sure the soy is to change flavor and does flavor enhancing ( MSG effects)  in many cases for the cheapest it is also boosting protein, stretching the tuna so that even though a protion of the product weight is broth, it makes up the few grams of protein

http://www.comfytummy.com/2009/07/01/tuna-packed-in-soy-and-additives/

 https://blogs.columbian.com/sated-sensitive/think-again-is-tuna-in-water-just-tuna-in-water/

[Stwood]

Thanks for posting that MM.
Hey, where ya been?

[David in MN]

Thanks for the link MM. I'm looking into Sea Fare because I have been looking for a cleaner canned tuna for some French dishes.

I  did run across a list of best and worst of "old-school" canned tune:

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/best-cans-of-tuna_n_58f4e224e4b0da2ff8621293?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaHVmZnBvc3QuY29tL2VudHJ5L2Zha2UtdHVuYS1lc2NvbGFyX25fNTk3NjAwZjdlNGIwZTc5ZWMxOWFiZjQ0&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAACgKpenKSqaveFIB60S9zYYlr-YLfvnT4Lcqsc2TpMuIqWjqEmn67Zn60FWhPWGniujfCV3uurDMEWATb_O3tAqqnROJq1pkh1YsQ0YRp0dwapsTTujgMr_wVKK40HSj3hcM1FKdA0fio0GU_hZtldoceWmq3LxPf94chE2bPdzW

Sorry the link is a mess. Long and short is that most of the concerns are worker safety and ocean sustainability. Not product quality. Funny enough most of the "fake" tuna is actually the refrigerated tuna steaks sold in grocers.

I also should mention you can go a little nuts if you start buying canned seafood from Spain or Portugal. People are paying $20-$200 per tin of exotic high end canned seafood. It's not cheap but they claim great quality (some better than fresh) and it's maybe more a treat than a prep. But related.

https://www.foodandwine.com/canned-seafood-renaissance-saltie-girl-huertas

[mountainmoma]

Thanks for posting that MM.
Hey, where ya been?

recovering from 2 out of 3 parents being in the hospital at once for 6 or 7 months -- I have thought of posting of all that I have learned and my disgust but realy do not have time

[Stwood]

recovering from 2 out of 3 parents being in the hospital at once for 6 or 7 months -- I have thought of posting of all that I have learned and my disgust but realy do not have time

Ugh. Hopefully you'll overcome. Hang in there.

[Redman]

recovering from 2 out of 3 parents being in the hospital at once for 6 or 7 months -- I have thought of posting of all that I have learned and my disgust but realy do not have time

Ugh, yeah that's rough. We are the oldest of the parents in our family. I hope to just be in my bed and not wake up someday.