White Tuna or Yellowfin Tuna, which one to choose for canning?

Many of us talk interchangeably about canned bonito or canned tuna, and although both share a good dose of omega 3 and high quality proteins, they are different products that you will find very easy to recognize with the following information. In Spanish supermarkets it is common to find cans and jars of canned fish that include in their labeling the terms Yellowfin Tuna or White Tuna as a claim, and although these fish show many similarities in appearance and texture, their taste at the table is clearly different.
Let’s start at the beginning.

Differences between Yellowfin Tuna and Albacore Tuna

Both, tuna and white tuna, are of the same family, tuna, although of different species.
The white tuna(Thunnus Alalunga) is a fish caught in the Bay of Biscay and the North Atlantic, with a maximum weight of about 50 kg.
It is distinguished by a large pectoral fin that gives it its name.
Its meat is highly prized for canning and is very light in color, which is why it is also called albacore tuna. Yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) is a fish that lives in the high seas, in tropical and subtropical waters around the world, where it is fished and its weight ranges from 10 to 60 kg.
From the food point of view, its meat is lighter or whiter in color and more delicate than that of bluefin tuna.
Its flavor is intermediate between that of white tuna and bluefin tuna.
In addition, we can find two other names that are mixed with the previous ones, but that are not used in canning:

• Bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) is currently the most valuable, due to its great demand and the quality of its meat.
  P It can weigh more than 200 kg, much heavier than bonito, and has a smaller dorsal or pectoral fin.
  Tuna meat is red, and after processing it maintains a pinkish color that clearly differentiates it from bonito.
  It is consumed fresh or frozen, not canned due to its high price and the strict control of its fishing.
• Bonito (Sarda sarda) is consumed fresh and its average weight ranges between 1 and 3kg, from 30 to 50 cm. In Spain it is fished in temperate waters of medium depth in the south and east of our Mediterranean coast, it is also frequent in the eastern Pacific, tropical Atlantic, Mediterranean and Australia.
  It differs from tuna by its longer pectoral fin and two oblique dark stripes on both sides.
  It is usually fished from spring to summer.

White tuna

Gear and fishing areas for White Tuna

The White Tuna can be caught with a net or one by one with rod and hook, following the traditional arts, which prevents the meat from being damaged and maintains the sustainability of the rest of the species of our coasts.
The catching season runs from June to October, under strict control to preserve the species, and is known as the “coastal bonito season”. the bonito coastal.
Galicia and the Cantabrian ports, especially Cantabria and the Basque Country, offer the most valued product for canned albacore tuna.

Canned food processing

The canned white tuna is made with fresh fish from the Cantabrian fish markets, selecting, in the auctions that take place daily after the arrival of the fleets to port, the ideal pieces.
The ideal weight of each piece is about 10 kilos.
The most appreciated part of the white tuna for canning is the belly, although we can use the loin and other high quality pieces for canning.
The coating can be natural, olive oil or vegetable oil.
The canneries clearly highlight the term BONITO DEL NORTE on their labels, as well as the areas of capture and coverage as a claim.

Nutritional values

BONITO DEL NORTE: Rich in OMEGA-3 fatty acids (healthy fats), B group vitamins (B2, B3, B9 and B12), Vitamins A and D, minerals such as potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron and iodine. Per 100 g: Proteins: 30g , Fats: 4,7 g.
and Calories: 164