Instructions: Tuna is one canned food that is in almost everyones pantry. If youve bought tuna lately, youve probably seen that its now available in 3- and (7-ounce)

pouches - at a higher price.

Why pay more for tuna fish in pouches? Several reasons.

For one, this new packaging lets you add variety to menus for backpacking and wilderness trips - without having to pack out cans. Just add the tuna to a noodle mix or eat with crackers. All youll have to bring back home is a flat foil pouch.

I knew I was really sold on the new pouch after I took it to my office and used the tuna to top a green salad that I purchased in the lunchroom. The flavor of the tuna is fresher than canned, and the convenient pouch eliminates the mess of the juices and the can.

StarKist claims its pouch-pack tuna has a firmer texture than canned, with less liquid to drain. CeCe Sullivan, home economist at the The Seattle Times, decided to put those claims to the test, and according to Sullivan, the results were impressive.

A 7.(06-ounce) pouch of StarKist Premium Chunk White Albacore Tuna in Water yielded 1 cup of tuna and only 1 tablespoon of liquid. The tuna remained firm and chunky when mixed for a sandwich, although it was a bit dryer and needed an extra tablespoon of mayonnaise. This style of tuna would be great for a salad or casserole. It sells for $2.99.

By comparison, a (6-ounce) can of StarKist Solid White Albacore Tuna in Water, although less expensive at $1.79, provided only3/4 cup of tuna, but 3 tablespoons of water. The tunas texture was softer and the flavor much blander than the pouch variety, and the taste and smell were not as fresh.

There was a clear difference in the quality of the chunk light tunas. A 7.(06-ounce) pouch of StarKist Premium Chunk Light Tuna in Water contained 1 cup tuna and only 1 teaspoon liquid, although it was very moist and mixed well for sandwiches. A (6-ounce) can of StarKist Chunk Light Tuna in Water provided about 2/3 cup of tuna and 3 tablespoons of liquid. Its texture was mushy, the flavor nonexistent. Even though the pouch was $1.99 and the can about $1, the pouch was a better buy in terms of quality.

Bumble Bee also sells tuna in (3-ounce) and 7-ounce pouches of both Chunk Light Tuna in Water and Chunk White Albacore Tuna in Water. As with StarKist, the pouch tuna was firm, fresh tasting and had almost no liquid to drain.

Uses for tuna
Tuna is great for making salads. Add it to pasta or greens, or make a main-dish salade nicoise by arranging it on a plate with some imported olives, chilled fresh-cooked beans, onion, wedges of hard-cooked egg and a sprinkle of herbs.

o Add the tuna to a pasta sauce, or use it as a base for fish chowder.

o Use the tuna as a filling for tacos or enchiladas.

o Make a sandwich by blending the tuna with ricotta cheese, chopped parsley or dill and a little mayonnaise.

o Make the filling with chutney, curry powder and mayonnaise.

Once youve discovered the flavor and convenience of pouch-pack tuna, you may never go back to canned.

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