What are the nutritional benefits of tuna?

Tuna is a nutrient-dense food and has low levels of saturated fat. It is an excellent source of high quality protein and contains a variety of essential nutrients. These include the minerals selenium, magnesium, and potassium; the B vitamins niacin, B1 and B6; and omega-3 essential fatty acids.

What does “Dolphin Safe” mean? Are your products “Dolphin Safe”?

Many tuna species associate with dolphins, swimming along side them. Dolphins consequently become prone to be entangled, injured or killed when tuna is fished.

As a preventive measure, the Earth Island Institute monitors tuna companies around the world to ensure the tuna is caught by methods that do not harm dolphins and protect the marine ecosystem.

The following the standards by the Earth Island Institute must be met in order for the tuna to be considered Dolphin Safe:

1. No intentional chasing, netting or encirclement of dolphins during an entire tuna fishing trip
2. No use of drift gill nets to catch tuna;
3. No accidental killing or serious injury to any dolphins during net sets;
4. No use of drift gill nets to catch tuna;
5. Each trip in the Eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean (ETP) by vessels 400 gross tons and above must have an independent observer on board attesting to the compliance with points (1) through (4) above.

*SOURCE: The International Marine Mammal Project, a project of Earth Island Institute.

Alliance Tuna International, Inc. adheres to all the Dolphin Safe standards of the Earth Island Institute. All our products are Dolphin Safe.

Why did I find a bone in my tuna?

Bones could be occasionally found in your tuna even though utmost care and effort has been made to ensure that they are removed. Extremely thorough personnel clean the fish loins by hand and are then inspected to check the quality of cleaning. Despite this, some fragments may be deeply embedded in the loins and may be overlooked on occasion. The heat processes that the tuna goes through after canning should soften bone fragments to make them crumble.

What are Omega-3 fatty acids? What are their health benefits?

Omega-3 fatty acids are considered essential fatty acids. This means that they are essential to human health, but cannot be produced by the body. For this reason, omega-3 fatty acids must be obtained from food. The primary dietary source of Omega-3 fatty acids is fish oil, specifically from deep-sea saltwater fish. They may also be found in certain plant oils. Omega-3 fatty acids have numerous health benefits. They can be helpful in treating and/or preventing a variety of conditions especially heart disease and problems that contribute to it. Other instances where Omega-3 may be used include high cholesterol, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, weight loss, arthritis, osteoporosis, manic depression (Bipolar Disorder), Schizophrenia, Attention Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), eating disorders, burns, skin disorders, Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), asthma, macular degeneration, menstrual pain, colon cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, etc.

What is mercury?

Is it present in canned tuna?’ Mercury is a metal that is usually seen in its liquid state. This element is naturally present in the environment, found in soil, rocks, air, water, and some living organisms.

Various types of seafood, including tuna, naturally have a very small mercury (i.e. “methyl mercury”) content. The mercury content of fish depends on the age and size of the fish, as well as the location it was caught. Commercial tuna do not contain mercurials from coastal area pollutants since they are caught far from these locations.

According to the FDA, 1.0 parts per million is the maximum safe level for methyl mercury allowed in commercial seafood. Canned tuna meets this standard as well as all other health and safety standards set by the FDA.

There have been recent controversies, especially in the United States, regarding the mercury content in canned tuna. However, studies have determined that fetal exposure to methyl mercury from fish consumption during pregnancy does not have measurable cognitive or behavioral effects later in childhood. In fact, pregnant women can safely eat up to 6 ounces of tuna a week (i.e. 3 full servings). Everybody, particularly pregnant women, nursing mothers, and young children, should include fish or shellfish in their diets due to its numerous nutritional benefits. Weekly intake of various fish (e.g. canned tuna) and shellfish may reach up to 12 ounces.

What are trans fats or trans fatty acids? Do your products contain these kinds fats?

Trans fats are a particular form of fat produced when manufacturers change liquid oils into solid fats like shortening and butter. These fats can be found in some of the same foods as saturated fats, such as vegetable shortenings, some margarines, crackers, candies, cookies, snack foods fried foods, baked goods, salad dressings, and other processed food made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.

Trans fats act like saturated fat by increasing low-density lipoprotein (bad) cholesterol that intensifies chances of getting heart disease.

No, all of our products have zero percent trans fat or trans fatty acid content.

Is there MSG in your products?

No, Mono Sodium Glutamate (MSG) is not added to any of our products.

What is DHA? Is it found in all fish?

DHA stands for DOCOSAHEXAENOIC ACID. It is an omega 3 fatty acid found in all fish, most especially oily ones. Oily fish like tuna have much higher DHA levels since Omega 3 fatty acids are found in fish oil. The oilier the fish, the higher the levels of DHA.