Global Spotlight Continues: Thai Tuna
In addition to clams and crab meat, Thailand is also the source of our high-quality canned tuna, available in the Crown Prince Natural line of products.
Know Your Tuna: Our Three Favorite Species
We source three different types of tuna from our close partners in Thailand: Albacore, Yellowfin, and Tongol. All three come from the warm waters off of Thailand’s coast. At temperatures ranging from 80-86°F, Thailand has some of the warmest waters in the world, making it an excellent breeding ground for a diverse range of small fish on which tuna feed.
We are currently seeking sustainable tuna certified by MSC (Marine Stewardship Council). All of our tuna is certified Dolphin-Safe by the Earth Island Institute.
Albacore tuna is probably the most popular type of tuna in the U.S. and is considered the highest quality canned tuna available. Albacore is the source of all white meat tuna. Because albacore tuna are solitary and swim in deeper waters than the others, they are line-caught from small fishing boats farther away from shore.
Yellowfin tuna derive their name from the bright yellow coloring of their fins. Yellowfin are some of the largest fish in the tuna family. They travel in schools and are typically caught via purse seine net. We also offer pole-caught yellowfin tuna from the Maldives in the Indian Ocean.
Tongol tuna is characterized by its blue back, long tail fin, and streamlined body. Of these three species, tongol is the most well-known locally in Thailand and is therefore the most popular in local cuisine. Like yellowfin, tongol are caught in the dolphin-safe purse seine net.
Tuna Preparation: On-Site
Once caught, the tuna are transported immediately to on-shore preparation facilities, where they are first sorted by size and species. The fish are gutted, and then checked for any sign of damage or imperfection. Next, they are cooked and quickly chilled to maximize flavor and texture. Finally, the tuna is cleaned of skin and bones, then packed into cans which are sterilized, labeled, and boxed up for shipping.
Tuna Preparation: In Your Kitchen!
The beauty of tuna is its versatility. This fish is low in fat, high in nutrients, and very easy to cook with across cuisines. We so love tuna that we’ve developed over twenty tuna recipes to share with our customers.
Some of our recipes put the tuna front-and-center, highlighting the excellent flavor texture of this kitchen classic:
Others add tuna where you might not think to use it, offering fantastic new flavor combinations and a healthy twist:
We also wholeheartedly approve of snacking on tuna straight out of the can!
Crown Prince Seafood Blog 