In France, according to the DGCCRF, fishery products cannot be certified organic. If that matters to you, look for a recipe that clearly identifies its organic agricultural ingredients, or choose plain fillets if you’d rather put your meal together yourself. For a savoury breakfast or a meal to enjoy around a cycle ride, compare the ingredients and nutritional values per 100 g too. The tin alone doesn’t define the whole meal.
You’re looking for oil or herbs and spices from organic farming, while distinguishing these ingredients from the caught mackerel. The ingredients list shows exactly which parts of the recipe the ‘organic’ claim applies to.
You’re looking for plain fillets with a short ingredients list, to serve with your choice of sides for a savoury breakfast or another meal.
You want to check the added oil, energy, fat, protein and salt in the exact recipe, rather than relying on the word ‘organic’ alone.
For a savoury breakfast or a meal to enjoy around a cycle ride, start by deciding what you expect the ‘organic’ claim to mean. Then compare the recipe and your portion with the other foods planned for the meal.
| Criterion | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Organic ingredients | Look for agricultural ingredients labelled organic and check their proportion on the label. Don’t confuse this claim with organic certification for the caught fish. | If organic ingredients are the reason I’m buying, I want to know exactly which parts of the recipe the claim applies to. Around 42% of shoppers prioritise this distinction. |
| Nutritional values | Compare energy, fat, protein and salt per 100 g, then consider how much you plan to serve. | Before choosing a recipe in oil or a marinade, I want to understand what my portion provides. This comes first for around 33% of shoppers. |
| Plain recipe | Read the ingredients list and check the proportion of mackerel. Also check the storage instructions after opening. | When I’m putting together a simple meal myself, I prefer to start with plain fillets and choose the sides separately. Around 25% of shoppers make this their priority. |
The DGCCRF states that fishery products cannot be certified organic in France. A tin can still contain organic agricultural ingredients: for the recipes reviewed, Auchan product listings show 20% organic extra virgin olive oil in Saupiquet and 17% organic agricultural products in Mouettes d’Arvor.
Check which ingredient the ‘organic’ claim refers to in the ingredients list, and what proportion is given for the recipe you choose.
Auchan product listings show 374 kcal and 35 g of fat per 100 g for the Saupiquet recipe in olive oil, compared with 155 kcal and 12 g per 100 g for the Mouettes d’Arvor marinade. These values apply to these two recipes, not to all tinned mackerel in oil or marinades.
Compare the nutritional information on the same per-100 g basis, then take the portion size into account.
The plain products featured by Petit Navire and Auchan contain 1.0 g and 0.9 g of salt per 100 g respectively. So even a short ingredients list is no reason to skip the nutritional information.
Compare the salt content of the exact product with the other recipes you’re considering.
The ‘organic’ claim and nutritional values relate to specific products: they don’t apply to every tin from a brand.
A recipe made with organic extra virgin olive oil, for shoppers who prioritise this ingredient in their tin.
A ready-seasoned marinated recipe to consider if organic agricultural ingredients in the marinade matter to you.
The plain steamed fillets have a short ingredients list and can be served with your choice of sides.
The plain product offers another point of comparison for a tin with a short ingredients list.
Compare each mackerel recipe individually by its seasoning and ingredients.
No. According to the DGCCRF, fishery products cannot be certified organic in France. On a tin, the ‘organic’ claim may refer to agricultural ingredients in the recipe. Check the ingredients list to see which ones.
The claim may refer to the oil, not the caught fish. The Auchan listing for the Saupiquet product reviewed gives 78% mackerel and 20% organic extra virgin olive oil. Always check the ingredients of the tin you choose.
Choose a plain recipe if you want to decide on the sides and seasoning separately. Consider a ready-seasoned recipe if its ingredients suit what you want to serve. Either way, compare the ingredients and nutritional information per 100 g for the exact product.
Follow the storage instructions on the tin you’ve bought. In particular, check how it should be stored and how soon it needs to be eaten after opening, as this can vary by product.