How come the tuna in my pantry says it has "hydrolyzed casein" and "hydrolyzed soy protein" in it?

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

What with reading the labels on pet food more closely, we are reading the labels on human food more closely too. My can of "chunk white tuna in water" 3 Diamonds Brand has the above stated ingredients in it.


So, what exactly is hydrolyzed casein and hydrolyzed soy protein and why is it in our made for humans canned tuna?

[slackmaster]

1. Those are technically forms of "glop" to add viscosity to the packing fluid

Probably just to make the product more appealing when you open and drain it. They may also stabilize the chunks over time, reducing their tendency to deteriorate into shreds.

[rasputin1952]

3. Ive always wondered what "mechanically seperated chicken"

is...:scared:

[RiverStone]

7. ...even worse, what is a chicken nugget?

See the movies Fast Food Nation or Supersize Me for the answer.

WARNING - you will never eat another nugget again (of course, maybe you never have) :shrug:

[rasputin1952]

13. I've avoided the nuggets over the years...

:scared:

[madokie]

22. then I won't say what I thought they were

oh what the hell, chicken nuts

[Shallah Kali]

8. Are you sure you want to know? if you do read these

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechanically_separated_meat


on the un-safety of mechanically separated beef
http://www.cspinet.org/new/madcow_protection.html

ack. I think I will go and try to upchuck all those slimjims/hotdogs and the like I have ever eaten :puke: makes me glad I have celiac and don't dare eat anything processed!

[rasputin1952]

14. I have decided I'm NOT going to ask any more questions...

like that after reading that!...:crazy:

I found it odd that they call it MSM (Mechanically Seperated Meat)...sort of sounds like the stuff we get from what we know as the MSM..."forcing waste products through a sieve to obtain a paste of edible product"...:rofl:

[Shallah Kali]

17. ugh. you are right. and msm news is as gross as msm meat

that's why I won't touch either with a ten foot pole!

[DawnIsis]

2. You're not gonna like this

http://www.truthinlabeling.org/hiddensources.html

[pnwmom]

5. No, I don't like it -- but thanks very much anyway.

Useful information.

My husband is sensitive to MSG, but he's probably exposed to a lot less of it since we cut way down on processed foods due to my gluten problems. Still, I had no idea it was in so many things.

[LeftyMom]

4. Casein is the primary protein in cow's milk. nt

[KittyWampus]

6. It's basaically MSG. People were reacting to MSG and avoiding it so corporations

just changed the name on the label.

[Eurobabe]

11. I just googled casein and came up with this!

http://www.made-in-china.com/showroom/qddacon/product-detailsqoQyIZWLxrB/China-Casein-Casein-Calcium-Sodium-Casein-Colostrum.html

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

20. MSG is something completely different.

[Nicole]

9. My tuna doesn't have that.

I have Chicken of the Sea brand in both cans & foil pouches.

Ingredients listed are the same:
Tuna, water, vegetable broth (contains soy) and salt.

I looked up the vegetable broth info on their website.

Vegetable broth is added to our canned tuna as a flavor enhancer, resulting in a milder flavor. The broth currently used is derived from one or more of the following vegetables: beans (including soy beans), cabbage, carrots, celery, garlic, onions, parsley, peas, potatoes, green bell peppers, red bell peppers, spinach and tomatoes.

[Monk06]

10. Casein is a protein solid that precipitates from milk when a mild acid is added.

Put milk in your coffee and add a little
vinegar and the milk will curdle. The
curds are casein. It's used as a non oil
based paint binder and lasts virtually
forever without cracking or peeling.

[bobbolink]

21. Cool! I've always wanted to paint my stomach lining....

:crazy:

[Eurobabe]

12. Buy tuna at Whole Foods or organic stores

they usually do not have additives. I can't have soy because of thyroid problems, and soy is RAMPANT in tuna these days.

[GliderGuider]

15. What on God's little green Earth are you people eating?

When I finished reading this thread I jumped up and rooted through my pantry for all the cans of fish that we have. There's everything from high-end smoked oysters to no-name brand salmon and nowhere is there an ingredient that I have to break into syllables to pronounce.

GoldSeal Smoked Light Tuna Slices with ginger in sunflower oil
Ingredients: smoked Yellowfin tuna, sunflower oil, water, ginger, salt

Clover Leaf Flaked Light Tuna, spicy Thai chili flavour
Ingredients: tuna, water, sunflower oil, sugar, onion, chili, tomato paste, modified corn starch, garlic flavour, onion flavour, chili powder, paprika

Clover Leaf Smoked Oysters
Ingredients: smoked oysters, sunflower oil, salt

GoldSeal Pacific Pink Salmon
Ingredients: Pink Salmon, salt

No Name (this is the brand name of the Loblaws grocery chain's own line of products) Wild Pacific Sockeye Salmon
Ingredients: Red Salmon, salt

If I were you, I'd raise hell.



Edit to add:
Go to the SeaChoice web site at http://www.seachoice.org/ for great information on sustainable and healthful seafood choices.

SeaChoice
Choosing sustainable seafood

The movement towards sustainable seafood is about solutions for our oceans. Choosing sustainable seafood is a simple and effective action that you can take every time you eat at a restaurant or buy seafood. Whether you are an individual shopping for your family, a chef buying for your restaurant, or a supplier sourcing from fishing communities, your choices count. Voting with your wallet sends a strong signal to government and industry leaders, telling them that you support responsible stewardship of our natural marine resources.

We understand that choosing sustainable seafood can be challenging, that’s why SeaChoice has created easy-to-use products that help you identify the best seafood choices and find information about the fisheries that you support with your purchasing. This is the first time that information has been compiled for Canadians about our domestic fisheries and the seafood we import. Please take a look at Canada’s Seafood Guide and our searchable seafood database at right.

The ultimate solutions will require all of us-governments, industry, retailers and individuals-to take responsibility for changing our approach to seafood and fishing. We hope you will choose to be part of the solution.

Check out the business card size notes you can drop all over your grocery stores, fish markets and seafood restaurants.
http://www.seachoice.org/files/asset/file/15/SeaChoice_Dropcard.pdf

[Gormy Cuss]

16. Because it's a cheap way to dress up inferior ingredients.

I'm an obsessive label reader and noticed the trend toward adding junk to canned tuna, especially the varieties other than white albacore. I usually buy tuna at Trader Joe's and the last time I tried to buy it at Safeway I was surprised that even the white tuna from the national brands had broth or other unneeded ingredients.

Trader Joe's solid white tuna is reasonably priced and contains only tuna, water, and salt. They even sell a packed in oil variety -- ingredients, solid white tuna, olive oil, salt.


on edit: a link to Whole Foods' summary on MSG and glutamates in general.

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/wholebody/ingredients/msg.html

What is "glutamate"?
Glutamate is derived from glutamic acid, a major building block for proteins. It is found naturally in our bodies and in protein-containing foods, such as cheese, milk, meat, peas, and mushrooms. MSG is one of several types of glutamate. When glutamate is released during breakdown of the protein molecule, "free glutamate" is formed. These substances can be added to food to enhance its flavor and are the focus of much of the concern about glutamate. It is only in this free form that glutamate can enhance a food's flavor.

Some foods, such as ripe tomatoes and Parmesan cheese, contain high levels of naturally occuring free glutamate. The flavor enhancing effect of hydrolyzed protein products, including soy sauce, is due to the presence of free glutamate.

What are "hydrolyzed proteins"?
Hydrolyzed proteins, or protein hydrolysates, are prepared by using food grade acid or enzymes to chemically digest proteins from soy meal, wheat gluten, corn gluten, edible strains of yeast, or other food sources. These protein foods are rich sources of glutamate. When proteins are broken down, bound glutamate is converted into free glutamate. The level of free glutamate resulting from hydrolysis varies from product to product, at levels of 5 to 20 percent. Hydrolyzed proteins can be used in a product as leavening agents, stabilizers (to impart body or improved consistency, etc.), thickeners, a protein source, and as a flavor enhancer. When used in a product as a flavoring agent, hydrolyzed proteins are used in the same manner as MSG in many foods, such as in canned vegetables, soups, and processed meats. However, the amount of free glutamate in hydrolyzed proteins is significantly lower than what occurs in monosodium glutamate.

[fed-up]

18. funny-I just noticed that last week, probably since I haven't bought tuna in ages (mercury) nt

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

19. casein is a protein that comes from milk.

soy protein is, obviously, protein that comes from soy.

Hydrolyzed means the proteins are broken up into chunks.

They're used in tuna as binders.