Tuna Strainability (?) Affected by Temperature?

[bramma23]

Alright, I know strainability isn't a word but it describes what I'm talking about. This question has been bugging me for a while. I'm not very good at science but I'm sure it has a reason why it happens (probably a simple one).

I eat tuna pretty regularly, tuna in water. However, I hate the taste when the water is still in the can so I try to strain as much as possible with the can lid by mashing it down and angling it. Sometimes, the water comes right out. Some other times, the water wouldn't strain out if I had a hydraulic press.

I've noticed a trend. When I go and buy groceries, sometimes I leave them in the trunk overnight. If I leave the tuna in the trunk overnight, the cans get cold. If I bring them inside immediately, they get to room temperature. If I try to strain a cold can that I've left in the trunk, it is impossible to get out all of the water. If it's room temperature, it comes out relatively easy.

Any ideas if it related to temperature and if so, why?

[panache45]

I have no answer, but: Try heating the can in a bowl of warm water first, and see what happens.

[dracoi]

My guess: oils and fats are liquid/soft at different temperatures. It's really obvious when we're talking about a stick of butter, but the same kind of thing comes into play with the fats in meat. A steak at room temperature is much more flexible than one fresh out of the fridge. If your tuna is cold, the meat will be stiffer and therefore more resistant to being mashed down.

That said, the only time I've noticed this with tuna has more to do with type than temp. The "chunk light" tuna is made of smaller scraps that don't have much structure while the more expensive type (I forget the label description) is made from bigger chunks of meat that don't compress as easily.