Tuna meat. Beneficial properties of tuna for humans. Dietary and beneficial properties of tuna

Tunas belong to the phylum “Chordata”, class “Bone fish”. There are many varieties of tuna, the most famous of which are:

- yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares)

- blackfin tuna (Thunnus atlanticus)

- bluefin or blue tuna ( Thunnus thynnus)

- longfin tuna ( Thunnus alalunga)

- bigeye tuna ( Thunnus obesus)

Let's take a closer look at these types.

Yellowfin tuna

Thunnus albacares (lat), Yellowfin TunaorAllison tuna (English)

Class: Ray-finned fish

Squad: Perciformes

Family: Mackerel

Genus: Tuna

Habitat and description of yellowfin tuna:

Yellowfin tuna is found throughout the world in deep, warm ocean waters (see photo " Habitat of yellowfin tuna"). It is a pelagic and seasonally migratory fish, but it often comes quite close to the shore.

Yellowfin tuna is capable of reaching truly gigantic sizes - with a maximum length of 2 - 2.5 meters, the weight of yellowfin tuna exceeds 200 kg!

The yellowfin tuna's body is blue-gray on the back and silvery-white on the sides and belly. There are 20 vertical lines at the bottom of the sides.

Your name yellowfin tuna received due to the crescent-shaped anal and second dorsal fin, colored bright yellow. There is an iridescent golden-yellow-blue stripe along the sides, but it may be missing. The pectoral fins reach the base of the second dorsal fin.

Yellowfin tuna readily gathers in schools. It feeds on small fish, squid and crustaceans.

Ways to catch yellowfin tuna:

Yellowfin tuna is one of the most popular and interesting objects of sea fishing. They catch it with ordinary trolling gear and bait: wobblers, spoons with a piece of fish or squid, silicone baits, streamers, tackle made from dead fish.

When fishing for tuna, bait from frozen or fresh fish is often used. chumming). In this case, it is better to use live bait as bait.

Yellowfin tuna are a strong contender. Once hooked, he can for a long time fight for freedom, going into the depths and quickly reeling in the meters of fishing line that he had laboriously won from him.

Underway industrial production yellowfin tuna.

Blackfin tuna

Thunnus atlanticus (lat)

Blackfin Tuna, Bermuda tuna, Blackfinned albacore ( English.)

Class: Ray-finned fish

Squad: Perciformes

Family: Mackerel

Genus: Tuna

Description and habitat of blackfin tuna:

Lives in tropical and warm-temperate waters of the western part Atlantic Ocean.(see photo " Habitat of blackfin tuna»).

Blackfin tuna has an oval body shape with a black back and yellowish rear fins. The rest of the color varies from yellow on the sides to silver underneath. The pectoral fins are never longer than the base of the second dorsal fin.

Blackfin tuna is a pelagic fish that lives in the vast seas and oceans. It is caught mainly in the surface layers of water. It feeds on small fish, crustaceans and plankton.

Ways to catch blackfin tuna:

They catch blackfin tuna using spinning casting (casting), trolling and live bait. Light spoons, streamers, octopuses and dead fish rigs are used as bait. Live bait fishing is practiced.

It is almost never mined industrially.

Bluefin (blue) tuna

Thunnus thynnus (lat)

Bluefin Tuna, Atlantic bluefin tuna, Tunny fish, Horse-mackerel ( English)

Class: Ray-finned fish

Squad: Perciformes

Family: Mackerel

Genus: Tuna

Description and habitat of bluefin tuna:

Bluefin tuna lives in subtropical and temperate waters of the northern part Pacific Ocean, the North Atlantic Ocean and, importantly for Europeans, in the Mediterranean and Black Seas (see report on bluefin tuna fishing in Croatia). Bluefin tuna is a pelagic fish that migrates seasonally. Large individuals are capable of covering enormous distances.

Bluefin (blue) tuna is the largest of the tunas, exceeding 2.5 m in length and weighing over 350 kg. It has a fast growth rate and reaches a length of 1 m at the age of three years and 2 m at the age of 7-9 years. This is a schooling fish, most common in coastal waters, although found far from the coast. Its food consists of squid, eels and crustaceans, as well as pelagic fish formations such as mackerel, flying fish roe, herring, blue whiting, and mullet.

Ways to catch bluefin tuna:

Bluefin tuna is caught by trolling with artificial baits (spinners, wobblers, silicone baits, large streamers) and with rigs made from dead fish and live bait. Bluefin tuna are the largest of the tunas, their strength and speed make this fish one of the most interesting and coveted trophies.

When catching bluefin tuna, a bait made from crushed fish is often used.

Bluefin tuna is subject to commercial fishing.

Longfin tuna

Thunnus alalunga (lat)

Albacore, Longfin tuna, Long-finned tunny ( English)

Class: Ray-finned fish

Squad: Perciformes

Family: Mackerel

Genus: Tuna

Description and habitat of longfin tuna:

Longfin tuna or Albacore live throughout the world in tropical and subtropical seas, including the Mediterranean Sea (see photo: "Habitat of longfin tuna"). This is a pelagic fish. Able to make seasonal migrations to cold ocean zones (New England, Southern Brazil and the northern Gulf of Mexico). Unlike bluefin tuna, this fish lives primarily in the open ocean and rarely appears off the coast.

Sexually mature large fish stay in the tropical zone, but, unlike young ones, they do not live near the surface, but at a depth of 150-200 m. Albacore food in moderately warm waters consists of fish, squid and crustaceans that live in the surface layer (in the northern part of the Pacific ocean, for example, one of the main food items is saury). In the tropics, longfin tuna eats deeper-sea animals - gempilas, sea bream, and some cephalopods.

The maximum size of longfin tuna reaches 1.3 m and weighs 45 kg.

A distinctive feature of this type of tuna is its long pectoral fins, which is why it got its name. The rays of the pectoral fins of longfin tuna reach the end of the anal and second dorsal fins, which does not happen in other representatives of the genus. The second distinctive feature is the absence of spots and stripes on the sides and belly of the fish. But on the caudal fin there is a characteristic light edge.

Ways to catch albacore tuna:

Longfin tuna is caught using conventional trolling gear and baits: wobblers, spoons with a piece of fish or squid, spoons with feathers, silicone baits, streamers, tackle made from dead fish (mullet, sardines, squid, herring, anchovies, sardines and other small fish).

Longfin tuna playing important role in industrial fishing.

Bigeye tuna

Thunnus obesus (lat), Bigeye Tuna (English)

Class: Ray-finned fish

Squad: Perciformes

Family: Mackerel

Genus: Tuna

Description and habitat of bigeye tuna:

Bigeye tuna lives in the warm waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans and adheres to fairly great depths(up to 200 m or more). Only young individuals of this species live near the surface, forming rather dense flocks. Adult fish probably lead a solitary lifestyle.

The average weight of an adult bigeye tuna is about 100 kg, but there are individuals over 2 meters and weighing up to 200 kg.

Bigeye tuna feeds on fish (including deep-sea fish), crustaceans and squid.

Bigeye tuna are caught in the same way as their brothers. Given the depth of habitat of large specimens, downriggers are often used.

In addition to the tuna described above, there are other species that are also of interest to anglers:

- longtail or Australian tuna

Thunnus tonggol (lat)

Longtail Tuna, Northern bluefin tuna, Oriental bonito ( English)

- dogtooth tuna or Gimnosarda

Gymnosarda unicolor (lat)

Dogtooth Tuna, Scaleless tuna, Lizard-mouth tuna, White tuna, Vau, Atu, Kidukidu or Dadori ( English)

- skipjack or skipjack

Katsuwonus pelamis (lat)

Skipjack Tuna, Skipjack, Ocean bonito, Arctic bonito, Striped tuna, Watermelon tuna ( English)

- southern bluefin or bluefin tuna

Thunnus maccoyi (lat)

Southern Bluefin Tuna, Japanese Central Pacific bluefin tuna ( English)

Gastronomic value of tuna:

Tuna meat contains many useful components. It is prepared in all known ways: sushi, carpaccio, grilled or pan-fried, boiled, baked, canned, etc.

“King of all fish” - this title was given to tuna in 1922 by Ernest Hemingway, who was impressed by the sparkling living torpedo that cut through sea waves off the coast of Spain.

Description of tuna

Ichthyologists recognize tuna as perhaps the most perfect inhabitant of the ocean. These sea fish, whose name goes back to ancient Greek. root "thynō" (throw), are in the family Scombridae and form 5 genera with 15 species. Most species do not have a swim bladder. Tunas differ greatly in size (length and weight) - for example, mackerel tuna grows to only half a meter with a weight of 1.8 kg, while bluefin tuna gains up to 300–500 kg with a length of 2 to 4.6 m.

The genus of small tuna includes:

skipjack, also known as skipjack tuna;
southern tuna;
spotted small tuna;
mackerel tuna;
Atlantic small tuna.

The genus of true tuna is represented by the most impressive species, such as:

longfin tuna;
bigeye tuna;
yellowfin tuna;
ordinary (blue/cyan).

The latter pleases fishermen with excellent-sized specimens: it is known, for example, that in 1979 a bluefin tuna weighing almost 680 kg was caught near Canada.

Appearance

Tuna is an incredibly powerful creature that nature has blessed with perfect anatomy and revolutionary biological adaptations. All tuna have an elongated, spindle-like body, which helps them gain enviable speed and cover enormous distances. In addition, for the speed and duration of swimming, we must thank the optimal shape of the dorsal fin, resembling a sickle.

Other benefits of the Thunnus genus include:

unusually strong caudal fin;
increased rate of gas exchange;
amazing biochemistry/physiology of the heart and blood vessels;
high hemoglobin level;
wide gills that filter water so that tuna receives 50% of its oxygen (in other fish - 25-33%);
an exemplary thermoregulatory system that supplies heat to the eyes, brain, muscles and abdomen.

Due to the latter circumstance, the body of tuna is always warmer (by 9−14°C) environment, while the own temperature of most fish coincides with the water temperature. The explanation is simple - they lose heat from muscular work, since blood continuously flows through the gill capillaries: here it is not only enriched with oxygen, but also cools down to the temperature of the water.

Important! Only an additional heat exchanger (counterflow), placed between the gills and other tissues, can increase body temperature. All tuna have this natural heat exchanger.

Thanks to it, bluefin tuna maintains its body temperature at +27+28 °C even at a kilometer depth, where the water does not warm up above +5 °C. Warm-bloodedness is responsible for intense muscle activity, which provides tuna with excellent speed. The built-in heat exchanger of tuna is a network of subcutaneous vessels that supply blood to the lateral muscles, where the main role assigned to the red muscles (muscle fibers of a special structure adjacent to the spinal column).

The vessels that irrigate the red lateral muscles with blood form an intricate pattern of intertwined veins and arteries through which blood flows in opposite directions. The venous blood of tuna (warmed by the work of the muscles and pushed out by the cardiac ventricle) transfers its heat not to the water, but to the arterial (counter) blood filtered by the gills. And the muscles of the fish are washed by the already warm blood flow.

The first person to notice and describe this morphological feature genus Thunnus, became the Japanese researcher K. Kisinuye. He proposed to allocate all the tuna into an independent detachment, but, unfortunately, he did not receive the support of his colleagues.

Behavior and lifestyle

Tunas are considered social animals, characterized by schooling behavior - they gather in large communities and hunt in groups. In search of food, these pelagic fish are ready to make throws over maximum distances, especially since they can always count on their staying talents.

When preparing to hunt, tuna line up in a curved line (similar to the string of a drawn bow) and begin to drive prey at top speed. By the way, permanent swimming is inherent in the very biology of the genus Thunnus. Stopping them threatens with death, since the respiratory process is triggered by the transverse bending of the body coming from the caudal fin. Moving forward also ensures a continuous flow of water through open mouth into the gills.

Lifespan

The lifespan of these amazing ocean inhabitants depends on the species - the more massive its representatives, the longer the life. The list of long-lived tuna includes common tuna (35–50 years), Australian tuna (20–40 years) and Pacific bluefin tuna (15–26 years). The ones that linger the least in this world are yellowfin (5–9) and mackerel tuna (5 years).

Range, habitats

Tunas somewhat distanced themselves from other mackerel over 40 million years ago, settling throughout the World Ocean (with the exception of the polar seas).

This is interesting! Already in the Stone Age, detailed images of fish appeared in the caves of Sicily, and in the Bronze and Iron Ages, fishermen of the Mediterranean (Greeks, Phoenicians, Romans, Turks and Moroccans) counted the days until tuna came to spawn.

Not so long ago, the range of the common tuna was extremely wide and covered the entire Atlantic Ocean, from the Canary Islands to the North Sea, as well as Norway (where it swam in the summer). Bluefin tuna were a common resident Mediterranean Sea, occasionally entering the Black Sea. It was also found off the Atlantic coast of America, as well as in the waters of East Africa, Australia, Chile, New Zealand and Peru. Currently the area bluefin tuna noticeably narrowed. The habitat areas of small tuna are distributed as follows:

southern tuna - subtropical waters of the southern hemisphere ( New Zealand, South Africa, Tasmania and Uruguay);
mackerel tuna – coastal areas warm seas;
spotted small tuna – Indian Ocean and Western Pacific;
Atlantic small tuna – Africa, America and the Mediterranean Sea;
skipjack (skipjack tuna) - tropical and subtropical areas of the Pacific Ocean.

Diet, nutrition

Tuna, especially the largest ones (blue), eat almost everything that is in the depths of the sea - floating or lying on the bottom.

Suitable food for tuna are:

schooling fish, including herring, mackerel, hake and pollock;
flounder;
squid and octopus;
sardine and anchovy;
small species of sharks;
crustaceans, including crabs;
cephalopods;
sessile sponges.

Fishermen and ichthyologists easily recognize places where tuna deal with herring - its sparkling scales twist into funnels, which gradually lose speed and slowly dissolve. And only individual scales that did not have time to sink to the bottom remind us that tuna recently dined here.

Tuna breeding

Previously, ichthyologists were confident that the depths of the North Atlantic were inhabited by two schools of common tuna - one living in the Western Atlantic and spawning in the Gulf of Mexico, and the second living in the Eastern Atlantic, going to spawn in the Mediterranean Sea.

Important! It was from this hypothesis that the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna proceeded when setting quotas for its catch. Fish production was limited in the Western Atlantic, but allowed (in larger quantities) in the Eastern Atlantic.

Over time, the thesis about 2 Atlantic stocks was recognized as incorrect, which was greatly facilitated by tagging of fish (which started in the middle of the last century) and the use of molecular genetic techniques. In 60 s extra years It was possible to find out that tuna actually spawn in two sectors (the Gulf of Mexico and the Mediterranean Sea), but individual fish easily migrate from one place to another, which means the population is united.

Each zone has its own breeding season. In the Gulf of Mexico, tuna begin spawning from mid-April to June, when the water warms up to +22.6 +27.5 °C. For most tuna, the first spawning occurs no earlier than 12 years, although puberty occurs at 8–10 years, when the fish grows up to 2 m. In the Mediterranean Sea, fertility occurs much earlier - after reaching 3 years of age. Spawning itself occurs in the summer, in June – July.

Tunas are highly fertile. Large individuals produce about 10 million eggs (1.0–1.1 cm in size). After some time, each egg with a drop of fat hatches into a larva 1–1.5 cm tall. All larvae gather in schools on the surface of the water.

Regular tuna - very big fish, reaching a length of 3 m and a weight of about 560 kg. This giant has a thick, almost round in cross-section, spindle-shaped body, sharply tapering towards the tail. The scales covering the entire body in the front part and along the lateral line are greatly increased in size and form a kind of shell. The first dorsal fin is quite long, with a concave edge, and the second, close to the first, is shorter in size and crescent-shaped, similar to the anal fin. After the soft dorsal fin, 8-9 small fins are placed in a row on the back, 7-8 of the same fins are placed on the ventral side of the body behind the anal fin. The caudal fin is semi-lunar, in front of it there are three keels on the caudal peduncle on each side: a large middle one and two small ones on the sides of its end between the caudal lobes. Lateral line with slight wavy curves. The pectoral and ventral fins are small and pointed. The tuna has a large, conical head with small eyes and a large mouth, with one row of small conical teeth on each jaw.

Like most fish that live in the upper layers of water, the back of tuna is dark - dark blue, for which this fish is often called bluefin, and the sides and belly are light - silvery-white, sometimes with transverse rows of pale spots. The fins are brownish, and the second dorsal and anal fins have an orange tint.

Common tuna

Common tuna is widely distributed in subtropical as well as tropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean. In the eastern Atlantic it is known from the Canary Islands to North Sea and Norway, in very warm years can also be found off the Murmansk coast.

Tuna is common in the Mediterranean Sea and in some years enters our Black Sea waters in significant quantities. Bluefin tuna usually live in schools in coastal waters, although they are also found far offshore. Active constant movement is the most characteristic feature this fish. When stopping, tuna even find it difficult to breathe, since the mechanism for opening the gill covers is associated with alternating lateral movements of the body to the left and right while swimming. Only with continuous forward movement

water passes through the constantly open mouth into the gill cavity. Therefore, tuna constantly move along the coast. They swim very quickly and can reach speeds of up to 90 kilometers per hour, which is requires a lot of energy. For this, tuna have special devices. Unlike all other fish, they have a special system of subcutaneous blood vessels that supply blood to the lateral muscles and a special part of it - the so-called red muscles adjacent to the spine. The subcutaneous vascular system ensures special delivery of oxygen to those muscles that bear the greatest amount of work. This process is also facilitated by the high oxygen capacity of the blood of tuna: the hemoglobin content in the erythrocytes of these fish reaches 21 g%, while even in close relatives and good swimmers - bonito - it is no more than 14 g%. At moments that require the greatest energy expenditure, the body temperature of tunas rises sharply and can be 9-10° higher than the temperature of the surrounding water.

The diet of common tuna is quite varied and depends on the abundance of specific species of fish and invertebrates in the feeding areas. The menu is based on schooling fish of the upper layers of water (sardine, mackerel, anchovy, sprat, herring and others) and cephalopods. In search of food, schools of tuna make long journeys, often descending to the depths during the day and rising to the surface at night. Tuna grows very quickly and at the age of three years reaches a length of 1 m and a weight of about 20 kg, and by the age of seven to nine years it grows up to 2 m in length.

Tunas reach sexual maturity at the age of three years. Their main breeding grounds are located in subtropical regions. In the Mediterranean Sea, tunas spawn their floating eggs in June-July. Tuna eggs are small - 1.0-1.1 millimeters in diameter, with a drop of fat. The female lays up to a million eggs. After about two days, larvae emerge from them, only about a centimeter long. They stay in schools near the surface of the water.

Tuna meat is highly prized; its catches in the Atlantic Ocean reach 250 thousand centners. However, in our waters the target of fishing is mainly the closely related Pacific species oriental tuna (T. orientalis). This fish is even larger than ordinary tuna and reaches a length of 3.5 m with a weight of up to 700 kg; specimens over 4.5 m in length are known. summer months Eastern tuna is often found in Primorye, as well as off the coast of Southern Sakhalin. This tuna is also a tireless traveler, some individuals can even cross the ocean. In particular, there are cases where fish tagged off the coast of Mexico were recaptured in the Tokyo area, and individuals with tags attached off Florida were then caught in the Bay of Biscay.

Even more in your own way nutritional quality the meat found in our waters in the Sea of Okhotsk near the South Kuril Islands is valued albacore tuna (T. alalunga). This fish got its name from its very long pectoral fins. Unlike bluefin tuna, longfin tuna, or albacore, rarely appears off the coast and is found only when oceanic salinity, but easily tolerates temperature fluctuations. Adult, sexually mature albacore live in tropical zone open ocean at depths of 150-200 meters, and immature fish at the age of two to six years, living exclusively in the upper, warmest layer of water, approach colder waters and closer to the shores. This species reaches a length of 1.5 m.

Near the Southern Kuril Islands there is also bigeye tuna (T. obesus), widespread in tropical and subtropical waters of all oceans at depths of 200 meters or more. Adult individuals of this species, reaching a length of 2.36 m, apparently lead a solitary lifestyle.

In the Gulf of Peter the Great and near the Southern Kuril Islands it is sometimes found skipjack tuna, or skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis) - the smallest of the tunas of the open ocean, only occasionally reaching a length of 1 m and a weight of 25 kg (usually the size of these fish does not exceed 50-60 cm). A gregarious lifestyle is very typical for this species. Sometimes dense schools of skipjack include tens of thousands of individuals; when moving, they can reach speeds of up to 45 kilometers per hour. Found in Peter the Great Bay and the smallest (length up to 40 cm) coastal marine mackerel tuna (Auxis thazard). It feeds on small animals in the water column and small fish (anchovies, silversides), leads a school life and often jumps out of the water.

Quite common in the Black Sea bonito (Sarda sarda), in some years it also enters the Sea of Azov. This small (length up to 90 cm) predatory fish is widespread in the warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean. It is very voracious, feeds on a variety of small schooling fish and in the fall usually leaves the Black Sea through the Bosphorus into the warm waters of the Mediterranean. A close view is common in Peter the Great Bay - eastern bonito (Sarda orientalis), reaching a length of 1 m. Unlike tuna, bonito fish do not have a system of subcutaneous blood vessels. These fish have tasty, fatty white meat (in the Black Sea bonito, up to 10-12% fat accumulates in the muscles by autumn), are eaten smoked or canned and are of great commercial importance.

The waters of Russia are also inhabited by mackerel - small (no more than 60 cm) fish that feed largely on small animal organisms in the upper layers of water and live in coastal areas of the sea. In mackerels, the dorsal fins are separated by a wide gap, and the middle keel on the caudal peduncle is absent. Most widespread Japanese mackerel(Scomber japonicus), found in the warm seas of all oceans. In the Black Sea it is found mainly off the coast of Turkey; in our waters it appears annually in large quantities in the Peter the Great Gulf and off Southern Sakhalin, and in warm years it even reaches south-eastern Kamchatka and Okhotsk. During migrations, mackerel moves in large schools along the coast at a speed of 25-30 kilometers per day. A significant part of the diet of Japanese mackerel is small fish, it spawns in the coastal strip of the sea at night and spawns up to 2.6 million floating eggs. In the Black Sea, a similar Atlantic species is found in our waters - common mackerel (S. scomber), which can be easily distinguished from Japanese mackerel by the color of its belly: in Japanese mackerel, the belly is dotted with dark spots or wavy intermittent stripes, while in the common mackerel it is monochromatic, pearlescent with a reddish and golden tint. Common mackerel feeds mainly on invertebrate animals of the upper layers of water, and less often on juvenile fish. Sometimes it enters the Sea of Azov, in warm years it is found off the Murmansk coast and occasionally penetrates into ours. Baltic waters(up to Luga Bay).

In the Gulf of Peter the Great comes across small-spotted, or Japanese, mackerel(Scomberomorus niphonius). Mackerel - fish of the warm seas, elegant in color and body shape - is considered the best in terms of meat quality among all edible fish. They have an elongated body covered with very small scales, a small pointed head and a wide mouth armed with strong knife-like teeth. Pelvic fins small, and on the caudal peduncle there is one simple keel. Mackerel, also called king mackerel, - schooling fish, common on coral reefs and rocky coasts. All of them are predators, feeding on various coastal fish and cephalopods. The small-spotted mackerel found off our coast reaches a length of 1 m and weighs up to 4.5 kg. It spawns in bays in April-May.

Fish. - M.: Astrel.

E.D. Vasilyeva.

Common tuna 1999.

See what "Ordinary tuna" is in other dictionaries:

- ? Common tuna Science class ... Wikipedia- dryžasis tunas statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas taksono rangas rūšis atitikmenys: lot. Katsuwonus pelamis engl. oceanic bonito; oceanic skipjack; skipjack tuna; striped tuna rus. common skipjack; ocean bonito; skipjack tuna… … Žuvų pavadinimų žodynas

Tuna- 1) in the broad sense of the word, the genus Thynnus s. Orcynus from the mackerel fish family (Scombridae); 2) in the strict sense of the word, T. itself (Thynnus thynnus s. Orcynus thynnus) is one of the fish of this genus. Genus T. (see Fig. 5 of Table IV, Pisces) has an oblong ... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Ephron

bluefin tuna- paprastasis tunas statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas taksono rangas rūšis atitikmenys: lot. Thunnus thynnus thynnus angl. Atlantic blue finned tuna; great tunny; leaping tuna; northern blue finned tuna rus. bluefin tuna; bluefin tuna;… … Žuvų pavadinimų žodynas

red tuna- paprastasis tunas statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas taksono rangas rūšis atitikmenys: lot. Thunnus thynnus thynnus angl. Atlantic blue finned tuna; great tunny; leaping tuna; northern blue finned tuna rus. bluefin tuna; bluefin tuna;… … Žuvų pavadinimų žodynas

Skipjack tuna- Skipjack tuna ... Wikipedia

Tuna is a genus of fish from the mackerel family.

They are perfectly adapted to their way of life, consisting of tireless movement. Their body is dense and torpedo-shaped. The dorsal fin is sickle-shaped and is ideal for long and fast swimming at speeds of up to 77 km/h. This fish sometimes reaches 3.5 m in length.

Tuna live in large schools and travel long distances in search of food.

Tuna is widespread in tropical and subtropical regions of all oceans and everywhere adheres to fairly large depths (up to 200 m or more). Only young individuals of this species live near the surface, forming rather dense flocks. Adult fish probably lead a solitary lifestyle. Tuna breeding occurs in the tropical zone and continues throughout the year. Its fertility varies from 2.9 to 6.3 million eggs. Tuna feeds on a wide variety of animals. Especially great importance They eat deep-sea and semi-deep-sea fish - crabbills, alepisaurs, godwit, hempilidae, as well as squid, pelagic octopuses, and large shrimp.

One of their unusual characteristics is that the energy expended in moving quickly makes their blood several degrees warmer than the surrounding water.

In the world market it ranks second among all aquatic products after shrimp.

Useful properties of tuna

Tuna meat has the highest protein content among all fish - 22..26%. In this respect, it can only be equated with the caviar of certain species commercial fish. The fat content of meat ranges from a fraction of a percent to 19%.

Tuna meat contains such micro and macroelements as: calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, phosphorus, chlorine, sulfur, iodine, iron, zinc, copper, manganese, fluorine, chromium, nickel, cobalt, molybdenum;

as well as vitamin B1, B2, B6, B9, PP.

Tuna meat contains all the amino acids necessary for the human body. Young albacore and bluefin tuna contain unique omega-3 fats that can help cut your risk of heart disease in half. In addition, omega-3 complex (linoleic, eixapentinoic and doxaexinoic fatty acids) improves eye and brain function, reduces arthritic pain, has anti-inflammatory effects, promotes weight loss and even reduces the risk of certain cancers. Moreover, to achieve a preventive effect, 5.5 grams of omega-3 fats per month is sufficient (which corresponds to 1 can of albacore per month). own juice

in Week). Tuna meat is good for the skin and mucous membranes, nervous and digestive systems

, regulates blood sugar and exhibits antioxidant properties.

Among the types of fish, tuna is the most popular. Its value is increasingly increasing, since every year the population faces a significant reduction in numbers. Tuna is also called the “rose of the seas” for the corresponding color of its meat. Why is tuna so popular? Let's look at its characteristics.

Benefit

Laboratory studies indicate that tuna has a great positive effect on human tissues and organs. Fish meat contains essential fatty acids that have positive influence
on the heart and vascular system, on the functioning of the brain. Cholesterol levels decrease when eating tuna.
The quality of tuna is undeniable, as it is not contaminated with harmful substances and organisms.
With regular consumption of tuna meat, the possibility of developing cancer tumors is excluded. Has a positive effect on nervous system
and the emotional background of a person.
Tuna meat can normalize blood sugar levels.
Improves the physical condition of older people.
Eating tuna meat prevents blockage of arteries, reducing the number of cholesterol plaques.
Tuna dishes normalize the nervous system.
With constant consumption of tuna, a person suffers less from colds, and the immune system becomes stronger.
Consuming tuna regularly increases your metabolic rate.
Tuna meat relieves allergic effects.

Harm

Despite the advantages of tuna listed above, its meat can cause some harm: in this fish, as in all predatory fish, mercury may accumulate, so tuna dishes should be consumed with caution. It is also recommended to limit the consumption of this fish during pregnancy, especially with toxicosis.

Contraindications

Tuna meat is so healthy that the only contraindications are individual intolerance to this type of fish.

Composition (vitamins and minerals)

The chemical composition of tuna meat contains many different nutrients: vitamins, minerals, trace elements, etc. Let's consider the quantitative content of such elements in 100 grams of fish meat.

No.	vitamins and minerals	quantity in 100 grams	what does it affect?
1	vitamin A (retinol acetate)	0.89 mg	fights the aging of body cells, strengthens the immune system
2	vitamin B1 (thiamine)	0.34 mg	thanks to this element, stable metabolism of carbohydrates and fats is established
3	vitamin B2 (riboflavin)	0.17 mg	strengthens nails, hair follicles, improves appearance skin
4	vitamin B3 (niacin)	0.03 mg	has a vasodilating effect, lowers cholesterol, calms the nervous system
5	vitamin D (ergocalciferol)	0.56 mg	protects against the development of rickets, osteoporosis
6	iron	1.67 mg	Helps maintain hemoglobin levels in the blood
7	copper	2.23 mg	participates in bone tissue regeneration
8	zinc	0.9 mg	has a remarkable healing effect, supports hormonal levels
9	selenium	3.44 mg	has antioxidant properties

The nutritional value of tuna meat is 130 calories.

How to cook

Tuna is a very fatty fish, but it can dry out quickly, so you need to purchase it either fresh or packaged in airtight packaging. The color of fresh tuna meat should range from light pink to bright pink. The fish carcass usually has big sizes, therefore it is more often found on sale in the form of steaks. It’s important not to make a mistake here: the steak should give off a fresh and pleasant smell, without inclusions fish oil. What's the best way to cook tuna meat? Below are some classic recipes.

Fried tuna in a frying pan. Pour 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil into a deep frying pan, heat it and add tuna steaks (no more than 3 cm thick), pre-washed under running water and lightly wrung out, and fry over medium heat. Frying time is 9-12 minutes. The finished fish should flake but retain pink color. For lovers of unusual cuisine, we recommend breading steaks in beaten egg and sesame seeds with the addition of spices before frying.
Baked tuna in the oven. First you need to preheat the oven to 200-220 degrees. Pour a little onto a baking sheet vegetable oil, place the steaks 2-2.5 cm thick, brush the top with melted butter, sprinkle with salt and spices and bake for 7-10 minutes. You don't need more time to bake tuna because it cooks very quickly and then starts to dry out.
Marinated tuna. To marinate tuna, you can prepare the following composition: 2 parts soy sauce, 1 part lemon juice, 1 part sesame oil, salt to taste. Tuna fillet 1.5-2 cm thick is placed in a glass container, poured with the prepared marinade and left for 10-13 hours, after which the marinade is drained and the fillet is slightly dried. Served with olive oil, sprinkling with green onions.

Storage

You can store fresh tuna for 1 day; it is better to cook it immediately after purchase. As an option, freeze the fish pieces by first wrapping them in cellophane. If we're talking about about storing canned tuna, this period is indicated on the packaging and is usually 2 years.

How to choose

Tuna is sold in supermarkets all year round, but most best time shopping - May-September. How to choose the right fish? It has already been said that tuna is a rather oily fish, so it must be very fresh. When choosing, you need to pay attention that the meat is dense, firm, the color is from pink to red, and the aroma is pleasant meaty. Fish that is not quite fresh is discolored near the bones or has a brown tint.

What goes with it?

Tuna is often used in canned food, which sounds very harmonious in salads. Canned tuna is combined with boiled potatoes, blanched or green peas, olives, fresh tomatoes and cucumbers, eggs, and cheese.

Tuna is a universal fish, so you can always quickly prepare tasty and healthy dishes from it. This is especially true for canned tuna, because there are a huge number of recipes for preparing dishes containing it.