Hong Kong’s Consumer Council has released the results of an extensive research review on common canned fish products, highlighting significant nutritional differences—particularly in sodium content—among popular canned dace varieties widely consumed by local residents. The investigation, published in its Choice magazine (Issue 525), evaluated 46 types of canned fish purchased from local retailers, focusing on safety, contaminants, and nutritional composition, urging consumers to pay close attention to ingredient labels regarding salt intake.
The Council’s testing reviewed samples with prices ranging from HK$15.9 to HK$23.9 per can. A dedicated assessment of seven types of preserved dace revealed that the sodium levels per 100 grams of the fish part alone could differ by nearly 100%. While all seven dace samples were found to be safe in terms of metal contaminants and prohibited substances, one premium product, the “Gold Label Dace in Salted Black Beans” by Eagle Coin, priced at HK$23.9, achieved a comprehensive five-star rating due to its superior performance in safety and low contaminant concentration.
Evaluating Safety and Nutrition in Canned Fish
The laboratory analysis separated the fish from the sauce and other ingredients (such as black beans and oil) to accurately assess the nutritional and safety integrity of the fish portion. Safety tests covered a broad spectrum of metal contaminants, including arsenic, lead, mercury, and cadmium, along with banned colouring agents and levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).
While all canned dace items contained detectable levels of various metal pollutants, these concentrations remained below Hong Kong’s regulatory limits, resulting in a favorable safety score of four to five stars across all models. One sample, “Pearl River Bridge,” showed trace amounts of dioxin-like PCBs, though the Council indicated that consumers would need to ingest large quantities frequently to exceed safe monthly intake levels.
The nutritional analysis focused on energy, protein, fat profiles, carbohydrates, sugar, sodium, and calcium. Although dace generally showed lower levels of contaminants compared to other canned fish tested, the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), were found to be lowest in dace samples compared to other canned fish types included in the total survey.
High Sodium Levels Pose Health Risk
A critical finding was the soaring sodium content in dace cans. Due to typical preparation methods like pre-salting and deep-frying, dace recorded the highest average sodium content among all fish types tested. Four brands—Tian Long, Eagle Coin, Pearl River Bridge, and Great Wall—had exceptionally high levels, exceeding 1,000 mg of sodium per 100g of the fish component, classifying them as “high-sodium” food.
The Council warned that consumers need to exercise caution with portion sizes. For instance, consuming just one quarter of the highest-sodium sample (Eagle Coin) contributed approximately 283 mg of sodium from the fish alone. However, if the entire can—including the highly salty sauces and ingredients—is consumed, the sodium intake rises dramatically to about 880 mg. This amount represents over 40% of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended maximum daily sodium intake for adults and exceeds 50% of the recommended daily intake for a seven-year-old child.
On a positive note, the high-pressure canning process softens the fish bones, making them edible and increasing calcium absorption. The sample with the highest calcium content was “Gan Zhuang Pai,” providing 910 mg of calcium per 100g of fish, meaning approximately 60% of one can can fulfill almost a full day’s recommended calcium intake for a seven-year-old.
Consumers are encouraged to read nutrition information panels carefully, remembering that the label represents the entire contents of the can, including sauce and oil, which significantly contribute to the overall sodium load. Selecting products with lower sodium and pollutant scores, such as the top-rated Eagle Coin variety, can help mitigate potential health risks associated with excessive salt consumption.