Canned tuna, explained

What to look for on labels

By Culinate staff

September 15, 2008

The fall issue of National Geographic’s environmental consumer magazine, The Green Guide, has a helpful round-up of what the labels on canned tuna really mean. So which kind should you buy for environmental and health reasons? Anything labeled “troll-caught” or “pole-caught”; this generally means albacore tuna caught in an environmentally responsible way (i.e., no nets) in U.S. waters. (These fish also have lower levels of dangerous mercury and higher levels of beneficial omega-3s.) The Green Guide likes the American Tuna brand, which is certified by the Marine Stewardship Council.