Whether tuna is raw in sushi and sashimi, grilled as a steak, or scooped from a can, the fish is awash in controversy. Overfishing, mercury levels, and dolphins caught in nets meant for tuna account for this. Where once a tuna sandwich for lunch was a routine event, we no longer eat canned tuna without thinking about it. Still, almost everyone has a can in the cupboard, for that favorite sandwich spread with mayo, or without adornment to add substance to a green salad or a pasta sauce.
Most tuna absorb mercury by feeding on other fish or by eating plants exposed to it, whether naturally or through pollution. Albacore white tuna is a larger species, which generally has more mercury. Skipjack, a smaller species, is used in chunk light canned tuna. Mercury levels also depend on the age and provenance of the fish.
Comments
In my opinion, Costco's Kirkland brand is the very best tuna out there (white packed in water); there's not even a close second.