Nutritional Quality of Raw, Precooked and Canned Albacore Tuna ( <i>Thunnus alalunga</i> )

Abstract

ABSTRACT The nutritional quality of raw, precooked and canned tuna was assessed by determining the total amino acids, in‐vitro protein digestibility, Computed Protein Efficiency Ratio (C‐PER), Tetrahymena Relative Protein Value (RPV), and fluorodinitrobenzene reactive lysine, together with selected vitamin and mineral assays. Amino acid composition, in‐vitro protein digestibility, C‐PER and Tetrahymena RPV remained almost the same for the raw, precooked and canned tuna. The percent retention of FDNB‐reactive lysine was 91% for the precooked tuna and 80–85% for canned tuna. Thiamin retention for the canned tuna was about 5%, while niacin and riboflavin ranged from 71–73% and 49–50% respectively. The values for Cu, Fe, K, and Ca were significantly lower in canned tuna.