Product review: Safcol tuna pouches

Safcol produce a large percentage of the canned fish available in Australia. Their tuna is wild caught using sustainable fishing practices.

Canned tuna is a cheap and convenient source of protein. When bought in brine or springwater is low in fat, some of which is in the form of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids.

Apart from the traditional cans, Safcol has recently launched a new line of tuna pouches. As the package reads, these are a good addition to salads, sandwiches, wraps and pasta (they also mention pizza but I’m not to sure about that one…)

Pros

• Compact, light and portable
• No need to drain
• Some varieties contain very few healthy ingredients
• Good portion size (74 g) as some people find the medium-sized cans (185 g) too big

Nutrition

The nutritional value of these tuna pouches vary greatly depending on the flavour. Having looked at the ingredients, I would recommend sticking to the springwater and oil blend varieties, and adding herbs/spices as desired.

The ingredients in Safcol Responsibly Fished Tuna Pouch Springwater are: skipjack tuna (80%) and springwater (20%). Each pouch contains:

• Energy (kj): 304
• Protein (g): 17.3
• Fats (g): 0.2
  • Saturated (g): 0.1
  • Polyunsaturated (g): 0.1
  • Omega-3 (mg): 84
  • EPA (mg): 8
  • DHA (mg): 75
  • Monounsaturated (g): 0.1
• Carbohydrates (g): <0.5
  • Sugars (g): <0.5
• Sodium (mg): 242

The ingredients in Safcol Responsibly Fished Tuna Pouch with Oil Blend are: skipjack tuna (80%), oil blend (coconut oil (7%), extra virgin olive oil (7%)), water and salt.Each pouch contains:

• Energy (kj): 588
• Protein (g): 14.1
• Fats (g): 7.1
  • Saturated (g): 3.2
  • Polyunsaturated (g): 0.5
  • Omega-3 (mg): 207
  • EPA (mg): 19
  • DHA (mg): 161
  • Monounsaturated (g): 3.4
• Carbohydrates (g): 5.1
  • Sugars (g): 0.4
• Sodium (mg): 236

Taste test

I liked the taste and texture of both the springwater and oil blend versions. Again, you can add your own flavourings such as herbs, spices, vinegars, citrus and extra virgin olive oil.

More info

For more info on these or other products, head to Safcol’s website.

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