If you opt for Atlantic salmon instead, it’s almost always farm raised. These are rich in colorful carotenoids, namely astaxanthin.Īstaxanthin is heat stable, so unlike tuna, salmon remains red even when cooked ( 4).Ĭommon varieties of wild salmon include coho, Chinook, and sockeye, all of which live in the Pacific Ocean. This is a result of its diet, which comprises krill and tiny crustaceans. The flesh of salmon ranges from pink to deep reddish-orange. For example, it’s an easy way to add protein to salads and a popular sandwich filling. It’s not a rich, flavorful delicacy like seared tuna, but it’s a convenient food to have on hand. That said, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends cooking all seafood to an internal temperature of 145☏ (63☌) to prevent foodborne illness ( 3).Ĭanned tuna is always thoroughly cooked during processing. Raw tuna steaks or fillets can be used raw in sushi, or marinated or seasoned with olive oil, salt, pepper, and/or herbs before cooking for extra flavor.īecause this fish is low in fat, it’s usually cooked to medium-rare (125☏ or 52☌) to retain moisture. If you buy canned light tuna, you’ll likely get one or a combination of yellowfin, skipjack, or tongol varieties. Yellowfin tuna is also known by the Hawaiian name ahi. This variety is often used for sushi, although it can also be seared or grilled. Yellowfin tuna is another common variety. Canned albacore tuna is commonly referred to as white tuna. It has a lighter-colored flesh and milder flavor, and it’s usually grilled or seared. The albacore, or longfin tuna, is a popular tuna variety. Thus, cooked and canned tuna looks grayer than raw tuna. Myoglobin breaks down quickly when heated.

The color comes from myoglobin, an oxygen-storing protein found in muscle ( 2). Tuna is a large, muscular fish with flesh that ranges from pink to dark red depending on the variety. Unlike lean types of white fish that have a light or white color, flakey texture, and mild flavor, both tuna and salmon are dark in color, have a firm texture, and stronger flavors.

Macro fish and consume bait