Once known as porco marina, or "sea pig," tuna still today resembles pork meat. Americans eat more tuna than any other fish. Only Japanese eat more tuna than Americans.
Ninety-nine percent of tuna is sold in cans. Only 1 percent of tuna, most of it caught in the Pacific, is sold either fresh or frozen. Tuna is a large saltwater fish (depending on the species it may weigh up to 1,500 pounds).
The most important tunas sold are all members of the mackerel family, which are albacore (white meat), bluefin (dark to light meat), bonito (so dark and strong it cannot legally be labeled "tuna"), skipjack (light meat, a sashimi favorite) and yellowfin (light). Tuna is an oily fish (about 5 percent oil content), meaning its oils are distributed throughout its flesh instead of being concentrated in the liver, like cod.
Is tuna safe to eat?
Yes. Is there mercury in tuna? Yes, mercury is a naturally occurring metallic substance which is found in air, water, soil and all living matter. Mercury vaporizes from natural soil deposits in the earth's crust into the air, is washed out of the air by rainfall and is returned to the soil or river, lakes and the oceans. Swordfish and tuna are the only commercial popular fish that may have a mercury content exceeding the FDA limit for mercury. These two species of fish accumulate organic mercury compounds as they grow larger because they consume vast quantities of smaller fish. However, since they are both caught at sea, far from any possible sources of industrial pollution, the mercury comes from natural sources.
Recent studies have shown that tuna has a built-in mechanism for blocking and reducing the toxicity of mercury in their tissues. This may answer the question of how man has safely eaten fish containing mercury concentrations higher than those allowed by the FDA (Source: UCLA/Davies).
Can you freeze tuna?
Yes. Squeeze excess liquid from leftover tuna before freezing. Avoid excess empty spaces, as ice crystals will form. Freeze slightly undercooked prepared tuna foods. They will finish cooking when reheated.
Tuna is packed with protein (30g per 31/2 oz), B 12 (100 percent RDA), niacin, iron, vitamin B6 and phosphorus. Here's an irony -- water-packed tuna contains more of the cholesterol-lowering omega-3 fatty acids than oil-packed, mostly because these fatty acids dissolve in the vegetable oils used to pack the tuna, which are drained off.
1 can (61/2 oz) light tuna in water
1 medium cucumber, thinly sliced
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. toasted sesame seed
1/4 tsp. salt
Fresh spinach leaves.
Drain tuna. Combine cucumber and celery. Combine vinegar, sugar, sesame seed and salt in a jar and shake well. Pour over vegetables. Chill well. Line tuna with spinach leaves. Arrange cucumber mixture around tuna. Spoon over tuna.
Charcoal Grilled Florida Yellowfin Tuna Steaks
2 pounds Yellowfin tuna, fresh or frozen
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. white pepper
1/8 tsp. liquid hot pepper sauce
Cut steaks into serving-size portion and place in a well-greased, hinged wire grill.
Combine remaining ingredients, except paprika. Baste fish with sauce and sprinkle with paprika. Cook about 4-inches from coals for 5 to 6 minutes. Turn, baste with sauce and sprinkle with paprika; cook 4 to 5 minutes longer until tuna looks done.
If you have a question, write Family Nutrition Program, University of Florida/St. Johns County Cooperative Extension Service, 3125 Agricultural Center Drive, St. Augustine, FL, 32092. Joanne Cooper is the family nutrition program coordinator for the University of Florida/St. Johns County Cooperative Extension Service. E-mail address: email@example.com.
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