This is something that most of us always have on hand: canned tuna. We might add it to salads, sandwiches, or even just our emergency kit.
When you clean out your pantry, old cans often come to light. In this post, I answer the all-important question of how to tell if canned tuna is bad in four easy steps. As long as your tuna can handle these steps, you should be able to eat it on rye instead of throwing it away! I also talk about how to store tuna in a can when it’s opened and when it’s not.
Unopened canned goods, including tuna should be stored somewhere cool and dry and away from any direct sunlight. A kitchen cabinet away from the stove or a pantry is usually fine. Canned tuna is known as a shelf stable food.
Once canned tuna or other canned foods are opened, they need to be refrigerated. If you have leftovers, put them in a container that won’t let air in before putting them in the fridge. Then, use them up within three to four days of opening the container. Once a can has been opened, you can also place the leftovers into the freezer.
You can freeze tuna for up to three months, but you need to put it in a container that won’t let air in first. The tuna itself can’t be frozen. You could also use a Ziplock bag. Lay the tuna out flat so it freezes evenly, and then press air out of the bag before closing it. Before you freeze the tuna, don’t forget to write “canned” and the date it was frozen on the bag or lid.
When you come to use the tuna, leave it to defrost in the refrigerator. How long this takes will depend on how much you have frozen. It could be two hours or overnight. Never defrost at room temperature as this can increase the risk of foodborne illness.
Canned tuna is a kitchen staple for many people It’s affordable, convenient, and packs a nutritious protein punch. But every so often when you open up a can, instead of the usual pinkish color, you find the tuna meat has turned orange. So what causes this unexpected color change?
There are a few common reasons canned tuna can turn orange
Overcooking
Tuna begins to take on an orange hue when it is overcooked or left in the can in hot conditions for too long. If the liquid in the can doesn’t fully cover the tuna, the parts exposed to air can get scorched during the cooking process and become orange. This doesn’t necessarily make the tuna unsafe, but it does degrade the quality and texture. Properly processed canned tuna should retain its light pink or beige natural raw color.
Natural Pigments
Some species of tuna, especially albacore, naturally have higher levels of carotenoid pigments that give it an orange color. Unlike the red color from myoglobin, this orange hue remains even after cooking. The pigments come from the tuna’s diet and are enhanced by metabolic processes. When canned, the natural orange of albacore can intensify as the meat cooks. So if you notice orange tuna right out of the can, it may just be showing its natural colors.
Added Colorings
In some cases, orange color in canned tuna is due to added dyes or colorings. Brands may enhance the color to meet consumer expectations. However, most major tuna companies now avoid added colorings. Check the ingredients list on your can of orange tuna to see if any artificial color has been included. If so, switching brands can avoid the dye.
Oxidation
Exposure to air causes the natural myoglobin pigments in tuna to oxidize and change from red to brown. Proper handling, processing and storage of canned tuna minimizes this oxidation. But tuna in old, damaged or swelled cans may turn more orange-brown as the myoglobin degrades over time. If the tuna has an off odor or flavor, oxidation may have caused spoiled tuna.
How to Tell if Orange Tuna is Safe to Eat
The color alone doesn’t necessarily indicate spoiled tuna. You can check a few things to see if that orange canned tuna is still safe and wholesome:
- Verify it was processed by a major reputable brand
- Check that the can isn’t damaged, rusted, bulging or leaking
- Confirm the tuna isn’t past its expiration date
- Give the contents a sniff – it should smell briny like ocean, not sour
- Look for abnormalities like mold, sheen, or soft texture
- Take a small bite to check for off flavors if still uncertain
As long as there are no other signs of spoilage, orange color alone doesn’t make canned tuna unsafe. Use your senses and best judgment to determine if you should eat it or toss it out.
Storing Canned Tuna to Maintain Quality
To help avoid oxidation and premature discoloration, store unopened canned tuna properly:
- Keep cans in a cool, dry pantry or cupboard away from heat sources
- Avoid storing cans directly on the floor where they may rust
- Organize by expiration dates and rotate stock to use older cans first
- Inspect cans for damage before purchasing and consuming
- Refrigerate opened canned tuna in a sealed container
- Consume refrigerated leftovers within 2 days
With proper handling and storage, canned tuna should retain its fresh quality and appealing color for its shelf life.
Uses for Orange Tuna
Don’t let the color stop you from enjoying canned tuna! The orange version works just as well in recipes like:
- Tuna melts
- Tuna patties or cakes
- Tuna casseroles or bakes
- Tuna salad sandwiches or wraps
- Tuna pasta salads
- Tuna mixed into eggs or omelets
The color dims when mixed into flavorful combinations. Orange tuna also retains the same valuable nutrition as regular canned tuna, providing protein, omega-3s, B vitamins, selenium, and other minerals.
So next time you find yourself puzzling over an orange can of tuna, rest assured it’s likely still perfectly safe to eat. Check for signs of spoilage, store tuna properly going forward, and use that vibrant orange fish to add nutrition to your next meal.
Step 2 – Consider the Quality of The Tuna Can
Just like with any other canned food, there are a few things you should check out first. If the can is leaking at all, then dispose of it straight away. If the can leaks, it means that something went wrong while it was being made, so you can’t be sure that it is safe to eat.
Look for any signs of corrosion or rust on the can. It’s possible that the contents of a rusty can are still fine, but the corrosion may have made tiny holes in the can that let air into the contents. You can move on to the next step if you can get rid of the rust spots with your fingers.
Canned tuna dented on the side may still be safe to eat, although factor in that a dent can shorten its shelf life. FSIS say if the dent is deep enough for you to lay your finger in then dispose of it. If a dent of any size is on the seam of the can then it should also be trashed as the dent may have damaged the seam.
However, if the can is bulging out at the top or bottom, you should always throw it away. Bulging can mean that the can’s pressure has been lost, which can let bacteria grow inside the can. More worryingly, it can also be a sign of botulinum spore activity.
Botulism is a thankfully rare foodborne illness cause by Clostridium botulinum. These bacteria usually live on land and in river and seawater without doing any harm. But when the conditions are right, they can become active, and once they do, botulinum releases potent neurotoxin spores which can be deadly.
There have been a couple of instances of botulinum being linked with canned tuna and in fact, there was a recall of a brand of albacore tuna in 2015 which was linked to botulinum. There was a more recent botulinum outbreak in Spain, in which four people became ill. The risk of botulinum is greater from home canning than commercial canning.
A leaking, very rusted, heavily dented or bulging can of tuna is not safe to eat.
If you buy tuna in pouches, then similar principles apply. If the pouch is bulging or leaking, then dispose of immediately.
How to Tell if Your Canned Tuna is Bad
The four steps I describe below will help you decide if your canned tuna is bad. If these steps make you feel good about the canned tuna, then you can eat it. But if you’re not sure, always throw it away!
Is Canned Tuna Safe To Eat? Experts Weigh In On The Benefits Of Eating The Canned Fish | TIME
FAQ
What color should canned tuna be?
How can you tell if tuna has gone bad?
Is discolored tuna safe to eat?
Can canned tuna go bad?
How do you know if canned tuna has gone bad?
The top ways to tell if your canned tuna has gone bad is to check the expiration date, see if the can is leaking, smell it to check for bad odors, see if it’s changed color, check the can for damages, and finally, taste it, which should be your last option if you’re suspicious.
Does canned tuna smell bad?
However, tuna is a form of fish and therefore has a fishy smell. If you’ve eaten very much canned tuna, you’re probably somewhat familiar with how it typically smells when you open the can. A good way to determine whether your tuna is bad is to take a good whiff of it. You will most likely catch an off odor as soon as you open the can.
Why does tuna Look Orange?
Tuna cans are usually packed in water. This is why the fish looks translucent. However, if you drain off the water from the can, the color of the tuna turns orange. Is tuna supposed to smell? Tuna smells like fishy odor. It is not pleasant. Tuna is usually stored in saltwater tanks, which gives off a strong odor.
Does canned tuna go bad?
Tuna is a popular canned good because it’s inexpensive and can be used for a lot of different things. It’s simple to work with and lasts in the can for quite some time. Canned goods usually have “expiration dates” but how can you really tell if your canned tuna has actually gone bad or not?