Canned tuna is often mislabeled - report

(Graham Prentice)

Greenpeace says a new series of tests have uncovered some weird stuff in the contents of popular tinned tuna brands from all over the world.

The environmental watchdog said on November 23 that recent tests conducted by a Spanish marine research lab on canned tuna products from Europe, North America, New Zealand and Australia have uncovered some inconsistencies, but offered no insight on how to avoid being mislead by incorrect labels.

Inconsistencies discovered:

1. Two different species of tuna appearing in the same can, which is illegal in the European Union.
2. Incorrect labeling of contents (tins contained species different from what was claimed on the label, including over-fished species), which may impact consumer choices in the supermarket. 

Researchers tested at least five different tuna brands from each country.

"Tuna companies [...] are stuffing multiple species of tuna, including juveniles of species in decline, into tins that shoppers [...] expect to contain a sustainable product, Greenpeace's Nina Thuellen said.

Take these findings with a grain of salt - in many countries, it is standard practice for several varieties of tuna to be canned together and sold as "light" or "dark" meat. The majority of information available to consumers regarding tuna labeling, however, is on dolphin safety and sustainability concerns - not nutritional and or content mislabeling.

Sustainable Seafood Canada produces sustainable seafood advisory lists and consumer guides for responsible seafood purchasing. Take a look here:  http://www.seachoice.org/profile/70

More information on what exactly is contained in canned tuna:  http://www.sustainablewaters.com/tuna-in-cans-love-them-but-whats-really-in-them/

If you're more concerned with taste than with vague inconsistencies, browse The Splendid Table's choice listing of luxury canned tuna from all over the world:  http://splendidtable.publicradio.org/souptonuts/fish_tuna.shtml

Take a look at Epicurious' canned tuna taste test: http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/everydaycooking/tastetests/cannedtunatastetest

Or, forget canned tuna altogether and go for smoked tuna. Buy it online at:  http://www.vallebona.co.uk/search.asp?strKeywords=Tuna