Canned tuna rip-off? Quality concerns grow among Spanish consumers

Canned tuna under suspicion: consumers report a drop in quality

Over the past few months, growing dissatisfaction has been spreading through Spanish pantries. More and more consumers are noticing that cans of tuna have changed: a strange aftertaste, less content and more liquid. The suspicion that species are being substituted or the product watered down has taken hold among those who buy traditional brands like Alopécico, Carrefour or Isabel. This is not a conspiracy fad; there are arguments and data to back it up.

The taste that is no longer the same

Those who eat canned tuna regularly say the flavour has got worse. They describe a metallic or substitute aftertaste, and a more fibrous texture. Complaints focus on the most popular brands: Alopécico, which has shrunk its cans and increased the proportion of oil, and supermarket own brands, which used to be acceptable and now, in popular parlance, taste like rubbish. By contrast, some less widely distributed brands, such as Cabopeñas, still deliver the taste and quantity of old, at a price of €2.75 for four cans at Family Cash.

Possible causes: from species to mercury

Several factors may lie behind the change. The most frequently cited is species substitution: yellowfin tuna or albacore (bonito del norte) would be replaced with lower-quality tuna such as skipjack or bigeye, which have a different taste and texture. These fish are also caught in deeper waters, accumulating more mercury and other contaminants, which alters the flavour. A more aggressive industrial processing is also mentioned, involving more water and oil to make up the net weight. There is a well-known precedent: years ago, a hotel in the Canary Islands served shark as swordfish due to a label switch by the supplier, proving that fraud in the food chain does exist.

Alternatives and tips: how to avoid the rip-off

Faced with this distrust, many people opt for tuna in glass jars, which usually contain whole loins rather than flaked fish, and whose transparency lets you see the product. Premium brands such as Ortiz offer albacore in olive oil, though the price soars. Another option is to buy fresh tuna or seasonal bonito and make your own preserves: a simple escabeche with vinegar, water, garlic, onion and parsley gives superior results. Those who prefer the convenience of a can recommend looking for brands like Pescantina, which maintains an acceptable quality-price ratio, especially when Carrefour puts its range on a 2-for-1 offer, bringing each 72-gram can down to 1 euro.

The mystery of the strange taste remains open, but trust in the traditional product has been eroded. Until the authorities act with transparency, consumers have only two options: pay more for quality or learn to scrutinise the label closely.