Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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It is important to know that Pacific troll caught Albacore come from a sustainable fishery. The fish are harvested using hook and line methods that result in little or no bycatch. No nets are used in this dolphin-free fishery that targets surface-feeding fish from abundant stocks. There are many sites selling fish on the web. Nearly all of them buy their fish for resale from other fishermen. Not all fishermen handle their fish with the same care. For instance, albacore swim at 87 degrees F body temperature and must be quickly chilled when caught to below 40 degrees F to prevent histamine poisoning and decomposition. Too many fishermen don’t know or don’t care how to take proper care of their fish. You can tell when you open a can. The consistency of quality starts when the fish is removed from the water. Many people have told me they’ve tried many of the other private labels and mine is consistently the best. That is plain to me because we know the pedigree of every fish we catch. It’s not a “production” boat. My crew is trained to handle each fish in ten steps. (Take a look at our fishing methods to see the steps my crew takes for salmon and albacore.) Every fish is individually treated the same. If we can find a way to improve our quality – we apply it. So many people tell me once they try our canned fish, they just can’t go back to the major brands.

The longer the fish has been in the ocean, the more time it has to accumulate mercury.  Our fish are young – mostly 2, 3 and 4 year old fish have not had the time to accumulate mercury as compared to the large amounts of mercury found in the large old fish favored by major canners. The younger fish swim closer to the surface of the water, which is where we fish; while the older fish swim closer to the ocean floor. More information about very low levels of mercury in Albacore can be found on the American Albacore Fishermens Association website. Also, Environmental Defense has not issued a consumption advisory for hook and line caught Albacore tuna because of our fishing methods. Click here for our mercury analysis report.

I’ve fished the Pacific for 37 years and for 28 some years, I’ve been taking premium care of my albacore and salmon to present the highest quality.

It started in the biggest El Nino of the century back in 1981. I was just one of the production minded fishermen of the Pacific fleet who made a living catching volumes of salmon and tuna. With the El Nino came hot empty waters and lots of guys went out of business. I wondered how to make a living for my family catching fewer fish. The answer was quality! I found I could get more money by taking better care of my fish and selling to premium markets. In 1983 I put an air blast freezer on my fishing boat the EZC. I became the first FAS (frozen at sea) boat in the Oregon fleet. A broker sold my fish to quality minded restaurants across the country and Japan. After the first load went to market he told me “Herb, my buyer said there is something wrong with your fish.” Stunned, I asked what. The answer was. He said he loved them but there aren’t enough of them. Catch more!”

After the El Nino waned and the ocean bloomed with feed and fish, I decided I liked catching fewer fish to make the same money. I found a new pride in taking super care of two fish that deserve the best albacore tuna and Chinook salmon. For 70 some years the major canners have ruined what albacore should taste like, and when all the U.S. canners moved their plants to third world countries for the cheap labor pool, the quality dropped again.

Tuna is the most consumed fish in the country every year.  Every kid grows up on tuna fish sandwiches.  When new people try mine for the first time, they always say where has this been all my life?

Our cans of Gourmet Albacore Tuna, Gourmet Chinook Salmon and Alaskan Sockeye Salmon are good for 10 years from the purchase date.

The canning date is printed on the can in this format: XX (year) XX (Month) XX (day) X (batch #). For example, the code 2301184 means that it was canned ’23 (year) 01 (month) 18 (day) 4 (batch #). This can is good for ten years from this date.

We get a lot of calls about just how low the mercury levels are in our fish: “You say its low mercury, but where is the proof?” Until now, we’ve been sending our mercury analysis data to our customers along with their orders. See for yourself!

Updated albacore testing results can also be found on the American Albacore Fishing Association website – www.americanalbacore.com.

What are the differences between Chinook Salmon and Sockeye Salmon?

Sockeye Salmon has a bright red hue from eating zooplankton which provides significant amounts of carotenoids and B12. With a medium fat content, sockeye salmon is considered to be one of the best-tasting (and healthiest) types of salmon.

Nutrition Profile For Sockeye Salmon (Per 100g)
Calories/Nutrient Sockeye Salmon
Calories 153 kcal
Carbohydrate 0 g
Fat 7.3 g
Saturated Fat 1.0 g
Monounsaturated Fat 2.2 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.4 g
Omega-3 1130 mg
Omega-6 80 mg
Protein 21.9 g
Vitamins and Minerals Amount (% DV)
Vitamin B12 130 % DV
Selenium 43 % DV
Vitamin B3 40 % DV
Phosphorus 24 % DV
Vitamin B1 17 % DV
Vitamin B2 17 % DV
Vitamin B6 14 % DV
Vitamin B5 11 % DV
Potassium 10 % DV
Magnesium 7 % DV
Vitamin E 6 % DV
Vitamin A 4 % DV
Folate 3 % DV
Iron 3 % DV
Copper 3 % DV
Zinc 3 % DV
Calcium 1 % DV
Manganese 1 % DV

Chinook salmon has a higher fat content, softer texture and has a higher overall omega 3 content per serving. 

Nutrition Profile For Wild Chinook Salmon (Per 100g)
Calories/Nutrient Amount (grams)
Calories 179 kcal
Carbohydrate 0 g
Fat 10.4 g
Saturated Fat 3.1 g
Monounsaturated Fat 4.4 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2.8 g
Omega-3 2342 mg
Omega-6 122 mg
Protein 19.9 g
Vitamins and Minerals Amount (% DV)
Selenium 52 % DV
Vitamin B3 42 % DV
Phosphorus 29 % DV
Magnesium 24 % DV
Vitamin B12 22 % DV
Vitamin B6 20 % DV
Potassium 11 % DV
Vitamin A 9 % DV
Folate 8 % DV
Vitamin B5 7 % DV
Vitamin C 7 % DV
Vitamin B2 7 % DV
Vitamin E 6 % DV
Vitamin B1 4 % DV
Calcium 3 % DV
Zinc 3 % DV
Copper 2 % DV
Manganese 1 % DV
Iron 1 % DV

If you buy fish managed under a U.S. fishery management plan, you can be assured it meets 10 national standards for conservation and sustainable management. http://fishwatch.noaa.gov.

Dented cans are 100% safe to eat. The modern can design has no solder-seams that could (when dented) deteriorate and flake into the food inside the can. Our cans are made from steel and have an enamel coating to ensure the safety of the food. We eat dented cans every day and have never seen a spoiled can. We do not send out dented cans from our facility (because we eat them!). If you have questions please call us at 877-752-8862.

Please let us know right away if you think your package has been lost in transit. In almost every instance we are able to locate the package and have it delivered to you. We offer a refund or replacement on lost orders if they are reported to us within 30 days of the order being placed. If your order arrives damaged, please send photos of the damage to hello@oregonschoice.com and we can offer store credit or replacement cans on your next order.

Nothing but fish oil rich in Omega 3s.  We add nothing (except a little salt in the salt added products) in the canning process.

Shipping to anywhere in the U.S. on orders over $100 (including Alaska and Hawaii) is free. Orders under $100 have a flat $12 shipping fee.
We ship via FedEx 2-day Express and FedEx Home Delivery. Most orders will ship out within 1-2 business days.
For orders up to 18 cans we ship FedEx 2-day Express. Orders of more than 18 cans ship via FedEx Home Delivery (or Ground if going to a business address).

We only ship USPS if we are shipping to a PO Box, or by special request.

You can expect your package to arrive within 2-6 business days, on average. Please contact us or leave a note with your order if you have special shipping requests and we will be happy to accommodate.

If for any reason you are unsatisfied, all of our products come with an unconditional 100% money back guarantee (excluding shipping costs).

You may request a refund if you receive damaged cans or are unsatisfied with your order by calling customer service at 877-752-8862 or by emailing sales@oregonschoice.com. Refunds will be issued within 1-2 business days of returned items. Credits will be issued to the original payment form. If you used a credit card for purchase we will refund your credit card, or if you sent a check you will receive a check in the mail. Your bank may require additional processing time for your refund to show, even after we have issued the credit.

We do not share any of your personal or ordering information in any way, shape for form to any other person or organization.

All products are shipped via FedEx or USPS, ground.

To contact us directly, please call 877-752-8862.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

If you would like to make a return, please follow the 3 simple steps below.

Please notify OREGON’S CHOICE of your return by emailing sales@oregonschoice.com, calling us at 877-289-8862 or by using the contact form online. Please note that this MUST be within 14 days of receipt of your purchase.
2.  Please pack and return your item in its original unused condition and enclose a note with your Name and Order Number inside the package.
3.  Send your return to:

OREGON’S CHOICE GOURMET 1985 NW Lance Way, Corvallis OR 97330

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Cans must be checked upon receipt of delivery. If there are any defects or discrepancies you must notify us within 24 hours.

Items must be returned in their original, unused condition.

You are responsible for packaging the return appropriately. Any cans which arrive back with any damage due to insufficient packaging will not be refunded.

We are unable to refund you for any postage costs.  Also, direct cost of returning the goods is your responsibility unless otherwise agreed.

When shipping your items back, you must obtain proof of postage of your return. We are not responsible for items lost or damaged in transit.

Refunds will be processed when the request to return is made within 14 days from receipt of delivery.

A credit will be issued if the request to return is made after 14 days from receipt of delivery.

All returns must be received by OREGON’S CHOICE GOURMET within 30 days from receipt of delivery to qualify for a refund. Credits will not be issued after 90 days from receipt of delivery.

Please note SALE items are non-refundable. You may return items on sale for a credit.  Please note sale items must be returned within 14 days from receipt of delivery.

FOR FAULTY OR DAMAGED ITEMS

Please email sales@oregonschoice.com, call us at 877-289-8862 or use the contact form, within 24hrs of receipt of delivery. When emailing please include a photograph of the damaged/faulty item. We will then be able to discuss a replacement or a refund for you.

Please DO NOT return damaged or faulty goods without contacting us first. We are unable to refund any postage costs incurred if you return damaged items without contacting us.

OTHER IMPORTANT RETURNS INFORMATION

We cannot be responsible for interest charges made by your credit card company while waiting for returns to be refunded to your card.

All orders will be refunded in US dollars, within 2 working days (excluding weekends) of receipt of your return. Refunds may take up to 10 days to clear in your account.

For lots of other pubs and marine related information, visit these other great sites:

Oregon Sea Grant
Seafood Network Info Center (UC Davis)
OSU Seafood Consumer Center 

Yes! All of our products are canned in Coos Bay, OR (with the exception of our Alaskan Sockeye Salmon which is canned in Alaska).

No! The flesh of younger fish is pink, as are fish feeding on krill and shrimp. Fish feeding on squid are yellow or orange in flesh color. Another reason can be extra cook time. We only need to cook our fish once because the quality of the fish is perfect as is, from care and quality handling from the time the fish is caught until it is canned. Other tuna companies must cook theirs twice because the meat is poor quality (bruising from mishandling, etc.) which in turn makes their fish more “uniform” in color from can to can. This is also why they must add oil or water to their fish; while we pack the fish only in it’s own natural juices.

Most often it is white, but like other fish, flesh color varies according to what it eats. Farmed salmon would be an unappetizing grey from their pellet diet so that’s why chemical coloring agents are used to make them look like “real” salmon.

The information we have about albacore tuna caught in Oregon is that it is safe to eat. NOAA, EPA, and FDA have been monitoring seafood since the nuclear meltdown. Radiation does not last long in the water, and the tuna were expected to be far off shore at the time of the meltdown. There was radiation linked to this event found in Bluefin tuna (we do not can Bluefin, only Albacore tuna), however, the amounts found at very low levels, and were within FDA approval.

This is a link to the NOAA-FDA-EPA fact sheet, and also to the NOAA Seafood Inspection website.
https://www.fda.gov/downloads/Food/RecallsOutbreaksEmergencies/Emergencies/UCM253896.pdf

Another site with helpful information that is frequently updated is NOAA’s Japanese Tsunami Marine Debris website. http://marinedebris.noaa.gov/tsunamidebris/.

Sea salt is what we use to salt our salt added products. Our salt added albacore contains 135 mg sodium per 55 g serving (with about 3 servings per 6 oz. can and 4 servings per 7.75 oz. can).  The salmon contains 240 mg per 55 g serving.

The no salt added products have small amounts of naturally occurring salt – albacore is 20 mg per 55 g serving and salmon is  25 mg per 55 g serving.

We’ve had our canned products tested for Omega 3’s and here are the results:

Our Gourmet Albacore Tuna has 6,500 mg Omega 3 per 7.5 oz can

Gourmet Chinook Salmon has 5,150 mg Omega 3 per 7.5 oz can

Alaskan Sockeye Salmon has 2,500 mg Omega 3 per 7.5 oz can

Check our articles tab for more info from Captain Herb on Omega-3 content and why ours is so much higher than the “leading store brands”. The nutritional facts on a pouch of Starkist’s best premium albacore proudly proclaims Omega-3 content of 450 mg. per 55 gram serving- Ours is five times higher (and ten times lower in mercury, not to mention a billion times better tasting!)

Unlike other seafood companies, there is actually 6 full ounces of meat in one of our six ounce cans. The other guys are only required to have 3.5 oz. of meat in a 6 oz. can, and do so.

We ship via FedEx 2-day Express and FedEx Home Delivery. Most orders will ship out within 1-2 business days.

For orders up to 18 cans we ship FedEx 2-day Express. Orders of more than 18 cans ship via FedEx Home Delivery (or Ground if going to a business address).

We only ship USPS if we are shipping to a PO Box, or by special request.

Shipping is free on all US orders over $100. For orders under $100, shipping is $12.

You can expect your package to arrive within 2-6 business days, on average. Please contact us or leave a note with your order if you have special shipping requests and we will be happy to accommodate.

Our cans have the canning date printed on them in this format: year, month, day, batch number. So if your can has the numbers 2301191, that means that it was canned on 01/19/23, batch #1. Our cans of tuna and salmon are good for ten years from the canning date, so these would be good until 2033. The shellfish cans are good for 5 years from the canning date.

All of our smoked products are smoked in an old fashion smoke house with Alder wood or whatever hard wood is available at the time. We do not add liquid smoke.

Shrimp are caught by dragging big nets, similar to those Forrest Gump used on the gulf coast, except modern excluders are added to prevent the incidental catch of other marine life. Our shrimp fishery is approved by the Marine Stewardship Council, so it doesn’t have any environmental issues.

Oysters are cultured in some of our coastal bays and are closely inspected by our WA and OR Departments of Agriculture. We can our oysters only at the time of year when they are at their fattest, away from the spawning time.

We had our Oregon’s Choice albacore tested by an independent laboratory. The results show that any radiation that may be present is too low to be measured. See for yourself!

According to Dr. Ken Hilderbrand, longtime seafood technologist for Oregon State University, our salmon and tuna lose very little in the canning process, so it’s nearly the same nutritional value as raw fish.  The value is locked in the can.  Be sure to save the juice that comes with the fish in the can.  There is a high percent of Omega-3 oil in that juice.

You want to pour away the liquid that comes with major brand tuna because it has no value.  The hydrolyzed vegetable protein will probably come up on you the rest of the day.

Mix the juice in a can of Oregon’s Choice albacore or salmon with the fish or drink it, because it’s good for you.

All of our products are packed in non-BPA cans and non-BPA pouches.

We sell online or via phone, toll free – 1-877-289-8862

We do have our products in some select stores thinly scattered around the country.  For a listing, see the next FAQ.

Yes! We ship via FedEx 2-day (or via USPS if shipping to a PO Box) to both AK and HI with no additional postage necessary. Orders of $100 or more ship for free, otherwise the shipping rate is $12.

Yes! If you would like to sample our products by just ordering a couple of cans, we now sell 4 can packs. Feel free to call us at 877-289-8862 for orders less than 4 cans.

Yes, all of our products are caught and processed in the Pacific Northwest. We only catch and can what is local to us here in Oregon, and work exclusively with local micro canneries here in Oregon.

FishWatch can help you make informed decisions about the seafood you eat by providing you with the most accurate and timely information available on the sustainability of U.S. seafood fisheries. FishWatch is brought to you by NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service, the U.S. authority on marine fisheries science, conservation, and management.

We do have a few selected stores scattered thinly around the country:

ARIZONA

AJs – #61 1836 S Val Vista Drive Mesa, AZ 85205

AJ’s #63 7141 E Lincoln Drive Scottsdale, AZ 85253

AJ’s #64 5017 N Central Phoenix, AZ 85012

AJ’s #70 10105 E Via Linda #110 Scottsdale, AZ 85258

AJ’s #75 Pima Rd. 23251 N Pima Rd. Scottsdale, AZ 85255

AJ’s #87 7131 W Ray Road. Chandler, AZ 85226

AJ’s #90 31311 N. Scottsdale rd. Scottsdale AZ 85266

AJ’s #117 20050 N 67th Ave Glendale, AZ 85308

AJ’s #118 15031 N Thompson Peak Parkway Scottsdale, AZ 85260

AJ’s #122 2805 E Skyline Drive Tucson, AZ 85718

AJ’s #159 4430 E Camelback Road Phoenix, AZ 85018

AJs #173 18271 N. Pima Rd. Scottsdale AZ 85255

AJs – #61 1836 S Val Vista Drive Mesa, AZ 85205

CALIFORNIA

Healthy Way – 1015 Cass St. Suite 2 Monterey, CA 93940

Healthy Way 3251 Mission dr. Santa Cruz, CA. 95065

Lassen Health 2857 E Thousand Oaks Blvd. Thousand Oaks, CA 91362

Mind and Body Fitness Ctr 2074 sea village cir, cardiff by the sea CA 92007

Mountain Song 134 Morgan Way Mt. Shasta, CA 96067

Natural Foods Coop 745 Frecis St. San Louis Opispo, CA 93401

ARKANSAS

Hestand’s in the Heights 5915 R. Street Little Rock, AR 72207

COLORADO

Harmony Healing 714 kimbark st. Longmont CO 80501

Nature’s Oasis – 1123 Camino Del Rio Durango, CO 81301

IDAHO

Atkinsons Ketchum Graccobi square 451 4th st. E. Ketchum ID 83340

Atkinson’s Bellevue 757 n. main st. Bellevue ID 83313

City Mkt. & Wine 323 Dienhard ln. suite B, McCall, Id. 83638

ILLINOIS

Heritage Health 4051 W. 183rd Country Club Hills, IL. 60478

INDIANA

Back In Time Naturals 2983 S. County rd. 300 E. Danville, IN. 46122

MASSACHUSETTS

Formaggio Kitchen 244 huron ave. Cambridge, MA. 02138

NEW JERSEY

Good Food Grocery 38 Old Hwy 22 Clinton, NJ 08809

Metaphysical Center of NJ 74 Fenwick rd Augusta NJ 07822

The Sunflower Seed 38 Old Hwy. 22 Clinton, NJ. 08809

NEW YORK

Biscuit Store 367 Flatbush Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11238

Captain’s Table 8 Sunset Heights Monroe, NY. 10950

Dean & Deluca Madison Ave. 1150 Madison Ave. New York, NY 10028

Dean & Deluca Soho 560 Broadway, New York NY 10012

Rising Tide Natural Market 42 Forest Ave. Glen Cove, NY 11542

The Herb Shoppe 15 Jersey Ave. Port Jervis, NY 12771

NORTH CAROLINA

Bare Essentials Natural mkt 273 Boone Heights Dr, Boone NC 28607

OHIO

Fuel Fitness 19832 W. 130th st. Strongsville OH. 44136

Summitt Natural Wellness Center 1680 Akron Peninsula Rd. Suite 103 Akron, OH 44313

OREGON

Ashland Food Coop 294 1st St. Ashland, OR 97520

Barnacle Bill’s 2174 N Hwy 101 Lincoln City, OR 97367

Bella Store 2023 Main St. Baker City, OR 97814

Flying Dutchman Winery 915 1st St. Otter Rock, OR 97369

First Alternative Coop 1007 SE 3rd St. Corvallis, OR 97333

First Alternative Coop – North Store 2855 NW Grant Ave. Corvallis, OR 97330

Food Front 2375 NW Thurman St. Portland, OR 97210

Gourmet Lady 373 Hwy 101 North Yachats, OR 97439

JC Market 107 N Coast Hwy Newport, OR 97365

Just Rebecca’s 10841 Pacific Coast Hwy., Seal Rock, Oregon, 97376

Lambs Market 8255 Wilsonville Rd. Wilsonville, OR 97070

Mother Natures 298 Laneda Ave. Mansanita, OR 97130

Mt. Scott Nutritional Center 7815 SE 114th Ct. Portland, OR 97266

Strohecker’s 2855 SW Patton Rd. Portland, OR 97201

Market of Choice 885 McKinley Eugene, OR. 97402

Newport Ave. Mkt. 1121 NW Newport ave, Bend. Or. 97701

New Seasons Orenco Station 1453 NE 61st Hillsboro, OR 97124

New Seasons Raleigh Hills 7300 SW Beaverton Hillsdale Hwy Portland, OR 97225

New Seasons Sellwood 1214 SE Tacoma St. Portland, OR

New Seasons Arbor Lodge 6400 N Interstate Portland, OR 97217

New Seasons Cedar Hills 3495 SW Cedar Hills Blvd. Beaverton, OR 97005

New Seasons Lake Oswego 3 Monroe Parkway Lake Oswego, OR. 97035

New Seasons Concordia 5320 NE 33rd Ave. Portland, OR 97211

New Seasons PDX 1214 SE Tacoma St. Portland, OR 97202

New Seasons 7 Corners 1954 SE Division St. Portland, OR 97202

New Seasons Mountain Park 3 Monroe Parkway Lake Oswego, OR 97035

New Seasons Happy Valley 15861 SE Happy Valley Town Center Dr 97015

NW Kitchens 410 sw bay blvd. newport or 97369

Oceana Coop 159 SE 2nd St. Newport, OR 97365

Pasta Works 3735 SE Hawthorne Blvd. Portland, OR 97214

The Olive and The Grape 14559 Westlake dr. suite A Lake oswego OR 97035

Trillium Natural Foods 1026 SE Jetty Ave Lincoln City, OR 97367

Whole Foods – Bend 2610 NE Hwy 20 Bend, OR 97701

Whole Foods – Bridgeport 7485 SW Bridgeport Tigard, OR 97224

Whole Foods- Fremont 3535 NE 15th Ave. Portland, OR 97212

Whole Foods – Gresham 2077 NE Burnside Rd. Gresham, OR 97030

Whole Foods- Lake Oswego 17711 Jean Rd. Lake Oswego, OR 97035

Whole Foods – Laurelhurst Laurelhurst 2825 E Burnside St. Portland, OR 97201

Wizer’s 330 1st St. Lake Oswego, OR 97034

PENNSYLVANIA

East End Food Coop 7516 Meade St. Pittsburgh, PA 15208

Good Life Market 3141 Banksville Pittsburgh, PA 15216

Nature’s Way 796 Highland Ave Greenburgh, PA 15601

UTAH

Loves to Cook 1211 North Main St. Logan, Utah 84341

VIRGINIA

Healthnut Nutrition 113 Tradewynd Drive Lynchburg, VA 24502

Rebecca’s Natural Foods 1141 Emett St. Charlottesville, VA 22903

Sunnyside Farm Market 337 Bay. St. Washington,VA 22747

WASHINGTON

Vibrant Health 36020 SE fish hatchery rd. fall city, WA. 98024

Whole Foods- Mill Plain 815 se. 160th ave. Vancouver, WA 98683

Dr. Daniel Newman 315 E Evergreen Blvd. Vancouver, WA 98660

WISCONSIN

Grassway Organics N600 Plymouth Trail New Holstein Wi. 53061