Is Canned Salmon Healthy?

In this brief guide, we’ll address the search query: “Is canned salmon healthy?” Also, we’ll explore how salmon is canned, where salmon is sourced from, and what dishes can be made with canned salmon.

Yes, canned salmon is healthy to eat. Packaging salmon in cans or foil packets does not degrade the nutritional value of the fish, and as a result, you can reap the same benefits from canned salmon, that you can from frozen or otherwise fresh salmon.

However, due to the size of the portion and the handling of the fish itself, it may not be as versatile as portions that are vacuum-sealed and flash frozen, or those that are sourced directly from the fish.

Canned salmon may have some limitations in this sense, as it can be packaged in flakes, slices, or other smaller portions, whereas frozen and fresh salmon can be purchased in fillets.

We encourage our readers to explore their options and decide which presentation best suits their cooking style.

How is salmon canned?

Canning salmon is an industrialized process that has been streamlined. Depending on each facility’s equipment, the process may have subtle variations, though the process itself can be summed up in the following outlines:

Fresh salmon is ferried to the facility, and a preliminary sorting is carried out. This will help the lots and the meat be distributed per size and species.
The salmon are then loaded into the first set of machines, which begin the processing by cutting off the heads and in the case of females, cleaning out the eggs.
From there, another special machine begins to carve away the offal, such as the tails, scales, guts, and fins. At this juncture, the fish are then passed on to a cleaning station where they are thoroughly rinsed with pressurized jets.
Once clean, the salmon can be cut into fillets and carefully positioned on the packaging line, so that they can be cut into an individual can’s exact interior measures.
After the fillets have been cut, an additive (usually salt) is added.
Before being sealed, a salmon can is weighed (with the can’s weight tared), and the necessary adjustments are made for the piece to have the purported weight, no less and no more.
Once the can has been properly filled, a lid can be stamped onto it. This lid will contain additional information such as expiration date and a lot number, and it will be sealed.
Sealed cans will then be washed thoroughly, inspected for any dents, and cooked to kill any microbes or parasites in the meat.
From there, once the cooked cans have been sealed, they can be labeled and packaged in consignments that’ll be shipped to retailers.

Where is salmon sourced from?

Salmon can be sourced from the ocean, or it can be farmed in estuaries. Notably, farmed salmon has a different appearance than wild salmon does, as farmed salmon have a steady diet that is constantly supplied to them, whereas wild salmon must forage and consume whatever food they find.

The world’s top producers of farmed Atlantic salmon are Norway, Chile, and the United Kingdom.

In the US, wild salmon are endangered and for conservation purposes, wild Atlantic salmon cannot be fished. As a result, most of the commercialized Atlantic salmon in Canada, the USA, and other countries, are farmed in Chile and Norway.

Salmon from the pacific can be fished from the wild, near the coast of California, Washington, and Oregon.

Some species of salmon such as Coho and Atlantic salmon have limitations, due to overfishing.

What dishes can be made with canned salmon?

Several dishes can be made with canned salmon, among them:

Baked salmon loaf
Salmon burgers
Stuffed salmon peppers
Salmon quiche
Salmon croquettes/ patties
Salmon finger sandwiches
Salmon chowder
Salmon casserole
Salmon cakes
Onigiri
Salad with salmon and tuna
Salmon with pasta

And many more

Naturally, we encourage our readers to be mindful of their daily calorie intake, avoid overeating, and eschew dishes that are excessive in calories, fat, carbohydrates, and sodium.

Salmon is nutritious meat, but how and what it is prepared with can trump its many benefits.

Conclusion

In this brief guide, we have addressed the search query: “Is canned salmon healthy?” Also, we have explored how salmon is canned, where salmon is sourced from, and what dishes can be made with canned salmon.