【Reading】ほんTuna

【English Name】Bluefin Tuna

Honmaguro is the distribution name for kuromaguro (Pacific bluefin tuna), known as the "king of tuna." Belonging to the genus Thunnus of the family Scombridae, adults exceed 3 m in total length and 400 kg in weight. As sushi neta it is divided into akami (lean red meat), chutoro (medium fatty), and otoro (premium fatty); the more the fat content increases, the more the sweetness and smoothness increase. The fat content improves in winter, and fish from the Tsugaru Strait such as Oma and Toi are prized. Pole-and-line caught is considered the highest grade, and at the first auction of the year a single fish can fetch a price of tens of millions of yen. In recent years catch restrictions have been strengthened, and Kindai University succeeded in full-cycle aquaculture in 2002. It is rich in DHA and EPA, but the more otoro, the higher the mercury concentration, and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare advises pregnant women to take about 80 g per week as a guideline.