For whatever reasons, canned tuna quality has deteriorated. Here, in Oregon, we have the blessing of a run of albacore that pass up the pacific coast each summer. These fish are 15 to 25 pounds and readily take a lure. The taste of these fish raw is sublime. However, the shelf life of fresh tuna isn't very long. Since we typically catch dozens at a time, we have to find ways of preserving it. The favorite among my friends is pressure canning. Typically in wide-mouth pint jars, we put up cases of tuna in marathon canning sessions. The flavor of fresh canned tuna is amazing. It lead me to ask how the commercials do it. The normal commercial method is to steam or boil the tuna before putting it in the can. That means the flavor has been rinsed from the fish before canning. Yuck.
Home canning involves putting fresh, raw fish in the jar with a little oil, a micro-pinch of salt, sometimes some other flavors like jalapeno or lemon rind. After having home canned tuna and understanding the commercial canning process, I have give up on "cat food" forever!
There are specialty canners who don't sterilize the fish before commercial canning ... seek those and avoid the big industrial canners.
