Opinion Page
WHY U.S. CONSUMERS MIGHT SOON EAT BETTER
TUNA !
There might be relief on the way for all those consumers in America who got tired of chewing on tasteless, spongy, soft canned tuna, and those who are desperately longing for canned tuna with taste and a bite. The U.S Tuna foundation (USTF), who's members process about 95% of all canned consumed tuna sold in the States, has finally come to the conclusion that some drastic quality improvement in US canned tuna is urgently needed to save the market. On May 6th the U.S Tuna foundation made several important proposals to the US FDA as first steps to drastically raise the quality standard of canned tuna sold to the American consumer.
Consumption of canned tuna has been on the decline for
several years in the States, while most other markets around the world have continued to
grow. My friends and family in the States have been complaining to me for years about
the disappointing quality of their canned tuna, and during visits to Spain, U.K and
Holland always found the European canned tuna of great taste and quality. They always
asked me, where they could buy this product in America ? Many industry professionals from
all over the world have been holding the U.S brand leaders StarKist, Bumble Bee and
Chicken-of-the-Sea responsible for degrading of U.S tuna quality over the last decade.
Under the cloak of wanting to provide the Highest Quality against The Best Price, U.S
brand-leaders started using additives such as Hydro Protein, which make canned tuna meat
absorb up to 10% water. More flakes were added to the chunk product because they were
cheaper and tend to absorb more water when HP was used. They also made the original 7oz
(200g) can shrink year after year until it finally became 6oz (170g) can, so 15% less tuna
in each can. This policy was always defended by the management of different companies,
as....This is what the American consumer wants ! to.. We would like to chance it, but the
competitive market situation does not allow us ! The effects have been clear, the image of
canned tuna has suffered, and consumers have started to leave the product in the shelf.
Consumers being dissatisfied of what they found in the small 6oz can... 25% less tuna
meat, and in return a starchy tasting tuna slush.
During last year's tuna crises Tuna Boat owners announced that they were seriously
considering to take action at government level against the use of Hydro Protein. According
to them the U.S demand for canned tuna could raise by at least 10% -15% if Hp was banned
and drained weight regulations and can-sizes were re-adjusted. The apparent U.S
consumption is estimated around 400.000 M/T, a 10% increase would take care of the annual
catch of at least 8-10 big purse seiners.If you would consider a boost in U.S canned tuna
consumption due to improved quality these numbers even grow higher.
The proposals of the U.S Tuna foundation mean that fierce competitors StarKist, Bumble Bee and C.O.S. have finally all come to a mutual conclusion.. we have to up-grade our products. And we have to adjust the US FDA Canned Tuna Standard of Identity, so that we all are forced to do it, with no way out. The U.S brand-leaders united in the USTF have now proposed to eliminate the use of Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, and reduce significantly the levels of vegetable broth used. They also propose that the standard fill weight of the can is regulated. In the future the average weight of 24 cans of tuna, should not be less then 72% of the net weight mentioned on the label. This would mean a 6 oz can should not have less then 4,3oz (122g) of real tuna inside. The U.S Tuna foundation wants all tuna cans in the shelves in the future to have drained weights mentioned on the label. These initiatives means the industry, wants to get rid of the very unclear definition of " pressed cake weight", which only very few people understand. As main motivation for its proposals the Tuna Foundation mentions that it wants to provide a harmonization with European and Canadian quality standards , and creating a higher quality product with increased fish fills. It can only be hoped that FDA implements these proposals soonest. It will be both a blessing for the U.S consumer as the total tuna industry, and can perhaps reverse the negative trend of the last few years !
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