Canned Salmon

Name: Canned salmon — salmon, mostly wild Pacific pink and sockeye, cooked in the can with its skin and soft bones, sold in tins and pouches. Sockeye is deep red and richer, and pink salmon is paler and milder.

Description

Salmon canning began on the Sacramento River in California in 1864, by the Hume brothers, and moved north to Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and Alaska, where it became a major industry. Canned salmon became an everyday food in North America and Britain in the early 20th century, and Alaska remains the biggest source.

The fish is packed raw and cooked in the can, so the flesh stays moist, and the skin and bones become soft enough to eat, giving a good amount of calcium. It is a good alternative to fresh salmon, and is used in salmon patties, salads, sandwiches and pasta.

Main nutrition value

Canned salmon is a rich source of omega-3 fats, vitamin D, vitamin B12, selenium and protein, and the soft, edible bones provide calcium.

How best to be consumed

Canned salmon is ready to eat, and the skin and bones can be eaten too.

1. Drain, flake, and mix with mayonnaise or yoghurt, celery and herbs for sandwiches and salads.
2. Make salmon patties or fishcakes, with breadcrumbs, egg, mustard and spring onion, then pan-fry.
3. Stir into pasta, rice dishes, chowders, omelettes and quiche.
4. Mash the soft bones in, for the calcium, or remove them if you prefer.
5. Keep unopened cans in a cool, dry place, and once opened transfer any leftovers to a covered container in the fridge and use within two days.

Overconsumption could cause…

Canned salmon is healthy in food amounts, and low in mercury.

1. High salt (sodium), which can raise blood pressure over time, so choose no-added-salt or low-sodium cans where you can and rinse before eating.
2. Fish allergy, which can be severe and is usually lifelong, so anyone allergic must avoid fish and check labels, including fish in sauces and dressings.
3. Gout flare-ups in people with gout, since fish and shellfish are moderately high in purines.
4. Hard bones in some cans, which may be a concern for young children.

GroupsCanned FishFinfishHigh proteinRich in omega-3Rich in seleniumRich in vitamin DCanned

Made fromSalmon

Related foodsCanned MackerelCanned SardinesCanned AnchoviesCanned TunaCanned HerringCanned Trout

Wikipedia — Canned salmon, used for origin, naming and history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canned_salmon