Albacore Tuna

Fresh Albacore Tuna Flavor Profile

Albacore Tuna Flavor Scale

Flavor
Oil
Texture

Fresh Albacore has a mild to medium flavor profile with firm flesh and large flakes. Like other tunas, it has a “steak-like” texture, but less firm than Yellowfin or Bigeye Tuna. It does however have a higher fat content which gives it a richness of taste. Albacore Tuna is also called Tombo Tuna. It is a delicious fish which lends itself best to grilling or searing cooking applications.

Alternate Names

Tombo (Hawaiian), Longfin Tuna

Typical Cooking Methods

Description

Image from Wikipidia-click for licensing

Albacore Tuna are known as the “white meat” tuna due to their lighter flesh coloration. Their skin is blue & silver like other tunas. Average commercial size is 10-30 Lbs, but they range in size from 5-100 Lbs. If Tuna are not kept properly chilled from harvest to your receiving dock they can develop histamine which can result in scromboid poisoning.

Storage & Handling Recommendations

Store fresh loins/steaks as close to 33° as possible to maintain highest quality and shelf life. Although ice can be used, the flesh should be tightly wrapped in plastic and placed in perforated pans. The flesh should never come in direct contact with ice or water as this will discolor the meat, leech the oil content, and decrease shelf-life. Tightly wrapping in plastic will also slow the natural oxidation of the meat color which fades from a bright color to a darker, more opaque color.

Typical Wholesale Products

Rounds
H&G
Loins-Skin/On Bloodline-In (7-12 lb Avg.)
Loins-Skin/Off Bloodline-Out (3-5 lb and 5-12 lb Avg.)

Fresh Albacore Tuna Availability

Fresh seafood availability chart: green areas show peak availability, light green show limited availability, gray indicates not available fresh. Frozen available all year long.

Albacore Tuna Butchering Yield Percentage and Recovery

Range & Habitat

Albacore Tuna range the oceans world wide except around Central America and arctic waters.

Albacore Tuna Sustainability Info

Name	Alternate Names	Catch Method	Catch Region	Seafood Watch	Ocean Wise	Sea Choice	Mercury Concerns
Albacore Tuna,Thunnus alalunga	Longfin Tuna, Tombo, Shiro Maguro, Canned White Tuna	Wild – Pole & Line, Troll	US & Canadian Pacific				Moderate
			South Pacific	n/a			Elevated
			South Atlantic				Elevated
			US Atlantic				Moderate
			New Zealand	n/a		n/a	n/a
		Wild – Longline	Hawaii				Moderate
		Wild – Longline	Worldwide (see above for Hawaii)				Elevated
		Wild – Purse Seine					Elevated
		Wild – All methods	North Atlantic				Moderate
Disclaimer: The sustainability info above is accurate to the best of our knowledge. However, each program randomly updates their information without our knowledge. We therefore recommend that you verify the current accuracy of this information.
= Best Choice/Recommended = Good Alternative = Avoid/Not Recommended							Updated August 2013

Mercury Levels Special Note: The EDF rates canned white albacore tuna as “Elevated” regardless of region of origin.

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