When it comes to healthy eating, canned tuna has it all. It is rich in protein, low in fat and calories and is an excellent source of the essential omega-3 fatty acids which help to lower blood pressure and cholesterol.
Who eats canned tuna and why? The following statistics provide an up-to-date look at the market for canned tuna in this country:
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Japan and the United States are the largest consumers of tuna, using about 36 percent and 31 percent, respectively, of the world's catch.
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Tuna in all forms represents more than one-third of the total fish and seafood segment in the U.S. and more than half of the finfish segment.
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Canned tuna is the second most popular seafood product in the U.S. after shrimp.
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In the U.S., Americans eat about one billion pounds of canned or pouched tuna a year. Only coffee and sugar exceed canned tuna in sales per foot of shelf space in the grocery store.
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Surveys find that 88 percent of all American households have enjoyed canned tuna. In fact, almost half of all households serve canned tuna monthly and 17 percent serve canned tuna at least once a week.
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Examining how Americans use canned tuna, research finds that about one in four consumers, 23 percent, serve tuna once or more a week. Another four in ten consumers, 39 percent, serve canned tuna two to three times a month, while 29 percent serve it once a month and 10 percent serve canned tuna about every three months.
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Although most Americans enjoy canned tuna, the largest households serve it the most.
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Of those Americans who eat canned tuna, the vast majority, 83 percent, eat it for lunch. In fact, canned tuna is the only regularly consumed seafood at lunch.
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Approximately 45 percent of tuna consumers serve canned or pouched tuna for dinner.
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Over one half of canned tuna, 52 percent, is used in sandwiches. Another 22 percent is used in salads while 15.5 percent is used in casseroles and helpers and 7.5 percent is used in base dishes.
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Households with children under 18 are about twice as likely to have tuna sandwiches available than households without children.
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Summer months account for nearly 30 percent of tuna eating occasions. Consumption is lowest in October, November and December.
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Light meat accounts for 75 percent to 80 percent of annual domestic canned tuna consumption. Albacore, or white meat, accounts for the rest.
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Chunk, light meat in water is the most popular form of canned tuna, although there remains a demand for oil-packed canned light meat tuna.
