Canned fish

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Canned pickled horse mackerel (chicharros en escabeche) from Spain Chicharros en escabeche.jpg
Canned pickled horse mackerel (chicharros en escabeche) from Spain

Canned or tinned fish are food fish which have been processed, sealed in an airtight container such as a sealed tin can, and subjected to heat. Canning is a method of preserving food, and provides a typical shelf life ranging from one to five years. They are usually opened via a can opener, but sometimes have a pull-tab so that they can be opened by hand. In the past it was common for many cans to have a key that would be turned to peel the lid of the tin off; most predominately sardines, among others.

Contents

Fish have low acidity levels at which microbes can flourish. From a public safety point of view, foods with low acidity (pH greater than 4.6) need sterilization at high temperatures of 116–130 °C (241–266 °F). Achieving temperatures above the boiling point requires pressurized cooking. [1] After sterilization, the containing can prevents microorganisms from entering and proliferating inside. Other than sterilization, no method is dependable as a preservative. For example, the microorganism Clostridium botulinum (which causes botulism) can only be eliminated at temperatures above the boiling point.

Preservation techniques are needed to prevent spoilage and lengthen shelf life. They are designed to inhibit the activity of spoilage bacteria and the metabolic changes leading to a loss of quality. Spoilage bacteria are the specific bacteria that produce the unpleasant odours and flavours associated with spoiled fish. [2] [3]

Background

The "father of canning" is the Frenchman Nicolas Appert. In 1795, he began experimenting with ways to preserve fish in jars. He placed jars of fish in boiling water. [4] During the first years of the Napoleonic Wars, the French government offered a 12,000 franc prize to anyone who could devise a cheap and effective method of preserving large amounts of food. The larger armies of the period required increased and regular supplies of quality food. Appert submitted his invention and won the prize in January 1810. The reason for lack of spoilage was unknown at the time, since it would be another 50 years before Louis Pasteur demonstrated the role of microbes in food spoilage. However, glass containers presented problems for transportation. Shortly after, the British inventor and merchant Peter Durand patented his own method, this time in a tin can, creating the modern-day process of canning foods. [5]

Canning was used in the 1830s in Scotland to keep fish fresh until it could be marketed. By the 1840s, salmon was being canned in North America in Maine and New Brunswick. [6] American commercial salmon canneries had their origins in California, and in the northwest of the US, particularly on the Columbia River. They were never significant on the U.S. Atlantic coast. By the 1940s, the principal canneries had shifted to Alaska. [7]

Salmon

The first industrial-scale fish cannery, a salmon cannery established in 1864 on a barge in the Sacramento River in California Pacific Coast first salmon cannery.png
The first industrial-scale fish cannery, a salmon cannery established in 1864 on a barge in the Sacramento River in California

A salmon cannery is a factory that commercially cans salmon. It is a fish processing industry that pioneered the practice of canning fish in general. It became established on the Pacific coast of North America during the nineteenth century, and subsequently expanded to other parts of the world that had easy access to salmon.

Prior to canning, fish were salted to preserve them. Through preservation, fish could be transported and sold large distances from where they were caught. At the start of the 19th century, salted salmon caught in Alaska was available in St. Petersburg. [7] [8] Shortly after, the Northwest Fur Company started marketing salted salmon from the Columbia River. It then merged with the Hudson's Bay Company, and the salmon was marketed in Australia, China, Hawaii, Japan and the eastern United States. Later, some salmon salteries were converted to salmon canneries. [7]

The first industrial scale salmon cannery in North America was established in 1864 on a barge in the Sacramento River near West Sacramento by the four Hume brothers together with their partner Andrew S. Hapgood. [9] [10] In 1866 the Hume brothers relocated the business to a site 50 miles inland on the Columbia River. [9] The history of North American salmon canneries is exemplified by their history on the Columbia River. Within a few years each of the Hume brothers had his own cannery. By 1872, Robert Hume was operating a number of canneries, bringing in Chinese workers willing to work for low wages to do the cannery work, and having local Native Americans do the fishing. By 1883, salmon canneries had become the major industry on the Columbia River, with 1,700 gillnet boats supplying 39 canneries with 15,000 tonnes of salmon annually, mainly Chinook. [9]

Sardines

Typical can of sardines, in salt water
2006 sardines can.jpg
Sealed
2006 sardines can open.jpg
Opened

Sardines (or pilchards) are canned in many different ways. At the cannery, the fish are washed, their heads are removed, and the fish are cooked, either by deep-frying or by steam-cooking, after which they are dried. They are then packed in either olive, sunflower or soybean oil, water, or in a tomato, chili, or mustard sauce.

Canned sardines in supermarkets may actually be sprat (such as the “brisling sardine”) or round herrings. Fish sizes vary by species. Good quality sardines should have the head and gills removed before packing. [11] They may also be eviscerated before packing (typically the larger varieties). If not, they should be purged of undigested or partially digested food or feces by holding the live fish in a tank long enough for them to empty their digestive systems. [11]

Sardines are typically tightly packed in a small can which is scored for easy opening, either with a pull tab (similar to how a beverage can is opened), or a key, attached to the underside of the can. Thus, it has the virtues of being an easily portable, nonperishable, self-contained food.

The close packing of sardines in the can has led to their metaphorical use of the name ("packed like sardines") in describing any situation where people or objects are crowded together, for instance, in a bus or subway car. "Sardines" has also been used as the name of a children's game, where one person hides and each successive person who finds the hidden one packs into the same space until there is only one left out, who becomes the next one to hide. [12]

Tuna

Canned tuna for sale at a supermarket Canned and packaged tuna on supermarket shelves.jpg
Canned tuna for sale at a supermarket

Tuna is canned in edible vegetable oils, in brine, in water, or in various sauces. In the United States, canned tuna is sometimes called tuna fish and only albacore can legally be sold in canned form as "white meat tuna"; [13] in other countries, yellowfin is also acceptable. While in the early 1980s, canned tuna in Australia was most likely southern bluefin; as of 2003 it was usually yellowfin, skipjack, or tongol (labelled "northern bluefin"). [14]

Tunas are often caught far from where they are processed for canning, so poor interim conservation can lead to spoilage. Tuna is typically gutted by hand and later precooked for prescribed times of 45 minutes to three hours. The fish are then cleaned and filleted, canned (and sealed), with the dark lateral blood meat often separately canned for pet food (cat or dog). The sealed can itself is then heated (called "retort cooking") for 2–4 hours. [15]

The retort cooking process kills any bacteria but retains the histamine that can produce rancid flavors. The international standard sets the maximum histamine level at 200 milligrams per kilogram. An Australian study of 53 varieties of unflavored canned tuna found none to exceed the safe histamine level, although some had "off" flavors. [14] The level of omega-3 oils found in canned tuna can be highly variable, since some common manufacturing methods destroy omega-3 oils. [16]

Australian standards once required cans of tuna to contain at least 51% tuna meat, but these regulations were dropped in 2003. [17] [18] The remaining weight is usually oil or water. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates the amount of tuna in a can. [19] In 2008, some tuna cans dropped from 6 ounces (170 g) to 5 ounces (140 g) due to "higher tuna costs". [20] In the United States, 52% of canned tuna is used for sandwiches, 22% for salads, and 15% for casseroles and dried, packaged meal mixes. [21]

Other fish species

Other fish commonly canned include anchovy, cod, herring, and mackerel.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Food preservation</span> Inhibition of microbial growth in food

Food preservation includes processes that make food more resistant to microorganism growth and slow the oxidation of fats. This slows down the decomposition and rancidification process. Food preservation may also include processes that inhibit visual deterioration, such as the enzymatic browning reaction in apples after they are cut during food preparation. By preserving food, food waste can be reduced, which is an important way to decrease production costs and increase the efficiency of food systems, improve food security and nutrition and contribute towards environmental sustainability. For instance, it can reduce the environmental impact of food production.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tuna</span> Tribe of fishes

A tuna is a saltwater fish that belongs to the tribe Thunnini, a subgrouping of the Scombridae (mackerel) family. The Thunnini comprise 15 species across five genera, the sizes of which vary greatly, ranging from the bullet tuna up to the Atlantic bluefin tuna, which averages 2 m (6.6 ft) and is believed to live up to 50 years.

The King Oscar export brand was founded in 1902 when King Oscar II, ruler of Norway and Sweden, gave Chr. Bjelland & Co – one of Norway's leading canning companies at the time, "special royal permission" to use his name and likeness on a line of sardine products.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canning</span> Method of preserving food

Canning is a method of food preservation in which food is processed and sealed in an airtight container. Canning provides a shelf life that typically ranges from one to five years, although under specific circumstances, it can be much longer. A freeze-dried canned product, such as canned dried lentils, could last as long as 30 years in an edible state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sardine</span> Common name for various small, oily forage fish

Sardine and pilchard are common names for various species of small, oily forage fish in the herring family Clupeidae. The term 'sardine' was first used in English during the early 15th century; a somewhat dubious folk etymology says it comes from the Italian island of Sardinia, around which sardines were once supposedly abundant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roe</span> Egg masses of fish and seafood

Roe, or hard roe, is the fully ripe internal egg masses in the ovaries, or the released external egg masses, of fish and certain marine animals such as shrimp, scallop, sea urchins and squid. As a seafood, roe is used both as a cooked ingredient in many dishes, and as a raw ingredient for delicacies such as caviar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scombroid food poisoning</span> Foodborne illness that typically results from eating spoiled fish

Scombroid food poisoning, also known as simply scombroid, is a foodborne illness that typically results from eating spoiled fish. Symptoms may include flushed skin, sweating, headache, itchiness, blurred vision, abdominal cramps and diarrhea. Onset of symptoms is typically 10 to 60 minutes after eating and can last for up to two days. Rarely, breathing problems, difficulty swallowing, redness of the mouth, or an irregular heartbeat may occur.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dried fish</span> Fish preserved by drying

Fresh fish rapidly deteriorates unless some way can be found to preserve it. Drying is a method of food preservation that works by removing water from the food, which inhibits the growth of microorganisms. Open air drying using sun and wind has been practiced since ancient times to preserve food. Water is usually removed by evaporation but, in the case of freeze-drying, food is first frozen and then the water is removed by sublimation. Bacteria, yeasts and molds need the water in the food to grow, and drying effectively prevents them from surviving in the food.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gulf of Georgia Cannery</span> National Historic Site located in British Columbia, Canada

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fish processing</span> Process from catching to selling fish

The term fish processing refers to the processes associated with fish and fish products between the time fish are caught or harvested, and the time the final product is delivered to the customer. Although the term refers specifically to fish, in practice it is extended to cover any aquatic organisms harvested for commercial purposes, whether caught in wild fisheries or harvested from aquaculture or fish farming.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John West Foods</span> UK-based seafood company

John West Foods is a United Kingdom-based seafood marketing company established in 1857, and currently owned by Thai Union Group of Thailand. The company produces canned salmon and tuna, as well as mackerel, sardine, herring, brisling, anchovies and shellfish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fish preservation</span>

Fish preservation is the method of increasing the shelf life of fish and other fish products by applying the principles of different branches of science in order to keep the fish, after it has landed, in a condition wholesome and fit for human consumption. Ancient methods of preserving fish included drying, salting, pickling and smoking. All of these techniques are still used today but the more modern techniques of freezing and canning have taken on a large importance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bumble Bee Foods</span> American food production company

Bumble Bee Foods, LLC, is a company that produces canned tuna, salmon, other seafoods, and chicken under the brand names "Bumble Bee," "Wild Selections," "Beach Cliff," "Brunswick," and "Snow's." The brand is marketed as "Clover Leaf" in Canada. The company is headquartered in San Diego, California, United States. It is owned by FCF Co, Ltd. of Taiwan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forage fish</span> Small prey fish

Forage fish, also called prey fish or bait fish, are small pelagic fish that feed on plankton and other tiny organisms. They are preyed on by larger predators, including larger fish, seabirds and marine mammals. Typical ocean forage fish feed near the base of the food chain on plankton, often by filter feeding. They include particularly fishes of the order Clupeiformes, but also other small fish, including halfbeaks, silversides, smelt such as capelin and goldband fusiliers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salmon cannery</span> Factory that commercially cans salmon

A salmon cannery is a factory that commercially cans salmon. It is a fish-processing industry that became established on the Pacific coast of North America during the 19th century, and subsequently expanded to other parts of the world that had easy access to salmon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">European pilchard</span> Species of fish

The European pilchard is a species of ray-finned fish in the monotypic genus Sardina. The young of the species are among the many fish that are sometimes called sardines. This common species is found in the northeast Atlantic, the Mediterranean, and the Black Sea at depths of 10–100 m (33–328 ft). It reaches up to 27.5 cm (10.8 in) in length and mostly feeds on planktonic crustaceans. This schooling species is a batch spawner where each female lays 50,000–60,000 eggs.

A fish company is a company which specializes in the processing of fish products. Fish that are processed by a fish company include cod, hake, haddock, tuna, herring, mackerel, salmon and pollock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ichthyoplankton</span> Eggs and larvae of fish that drift in the water column

Ichthyoplankton are the eggs and larvae of fish. They are mostly found in the sunlit zone of the water column, less than 200 metres deep, which is sometimes called the epipelagic or photic zone. Ichthyoplankton are planktonic, meaning they cannot swim effectively under their own power, but must drift with the ocean currents. Fish eggs cannot swim at all, and are unambiguously planktonic. Early stage larvae swim poorly, but later stage larvae swim better and cease to be planktonic as they grow into juveniles. Fish larvae are part of the zooplankton that eat smaller plankton, while fish eggs carry their own food supply. Both eggs and larvae are themselves eaten by larger animals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sardines as food</span>

Sardines ("pilchards") are a nutrient-rich, small, oily fish widely consumed by humans and as forage fish by larger fish species, seabirds and marine mammals. Sardines are a source of omega-3 fatty acids. Sardines are often served in cans, but can also be eaten grilled, pickled, or smoked when fresh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clover Leaf Seafoods</span> Canadian canned seafood marketing company

Clover Leaf Seafoods Company is the leading marketer brand of canned seafood in the Canadian market owned by British equity firm Lion Capital LLP. Headquartered in Markham, Ontario, it sells canned, shelf-stable, and frozen goods under the Clover Leaf and Brunswick brands. The company's products include tuna, salmon, oysters, mussels, clams, shrimp, crab, lobster and sardines. Clover Leaf Seafoods was formerly owned by Canadian Connors Brothers Limited when merged with American counterpart brand Bumble Bee Seafoods in 2003, it was then sold to American equity firm Centre Partners in 2005, then sold to Lion Capital in 2010, still paired with Bumble Bee.

References

  1. ↑ William Schafer (2009-01-09). "Home Canning Tomatoes". Extension.umn.edu. Archived from the original on July 16, 2010. Retrieved 2010-07-14.
  2. ↑ Huss HH (1988) Quality and quality changes in fresh fish FAO Fisheries Technical Paper 348, Rome. ISBN   92-5-103507-5.
  3. ↑ FAO: Preservation techniques Fisheries and aquaculture department, Rome. Updated 27 May 2005. Retrieved 14 March 2011.
  4. ↑ Lance Day, Ian McNeil, ed. (1996). Biographical Dictionary of the History of Technology . Routledge. ISBN   0-415-19399-0.
  5. ↑ Klooster, John W (2009) Icons of invention: the makers of the modern world from Gutenberg to Gates p. 103, ABC-CLIO. ISBN   978-0-313-34745-0.
  6. ↑ Newell, 1990, p. 4.
  7. 1 2 3 Jarvis ND (1988) Curing and Canning of Fishery Products: A History Marine Fisheries Review, 50 (4): 180–185.
  8. ↑ Cobb JN (1917) Pacific salmon fisheries. Government Printing Office, Bur. Fish., Doc 1092. 297 pages.
  9. 1 2 3 Columbia River History: Canneries Northwest Power and Conservation Council . Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  10. ↑ National Park Service Fish and Wildlife Service (August 29, 2018). "First Pacific Coast Salmon Cannery Site".
  11. 1 2 "Codex standard for canned sardines and sardine-type products codex stan 94 –1981 REV. 1-1995" (PDF). Codex Alimentarius. FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission. pp. 1–7. Retrieved 2007-01-18.
  12. ↑ "Stinky Sardine Club". Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  13. ↑ Ellis, Richard. Tuna: A Love Story. New York: Random House, 2009, p. 119. ISBN   0-307-38710-0
  14. 1 2 Choice: Jan/Feb 2004.
  15. ↑ "The tuna processing industry". US Dept. of Labor. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved 15 October 2007.
  16. ↑ Is canned tuna a good source of omega 3 fats? Archived 2020-02-06 at the Wayback Machine WHFoods. Retrieved 22 September 2012.
  17. ↑ Choice, August 2003.
  18. ↑ "Compare products and find independent product reviews at choice.com.au". Archived from the original on 1 August 2008. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  19. ↑ "CFR - Code of Federal Regulations Title 21". Accessdata.fda.gov. Retrieved 2010-09-22. (see part (c))
  20. ↑ "FOOD IMPORT GROUP Market Flash: May 2008". Foodimportgroup.blogspot.com. 2008-05-22. Retrieved 2010-09-22.
  21. ↑ "Tuna". Modern Marvels, 4 February 2010.
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