I glanced this Acme Smoked Nova Salmon at Walmart last week, and being an avid salmon fan, and given all the much-publicized health benefits of moderate amounts of this fish, I immediately tossed an 8-ounce package into my shopping cart. Ready-to-eat salmon like this, with its abundance of Omega-3 heart-healthy fats, makes eating healthy easier to do more often, and enjoyable too.
This hardwoood-smoked delicacy is salty, but definitely tastes like salmon. It’s convenient; packaged much as a cold-cut lunch meat, in a vacuum-packed plastic bag with a rigid card inside, that helps keep the sliced salmon flat. It can be handled the same way as lunch meat thus. But be sure to seal up any unused portions, as if left open, it might stink up your ice box, and the air inside the refrigerator might dry out your salmon.
Benefits, Pros, Advantages, and Features
- The use-or-freeze-by date on the package is almost two months out from the date I bought mine. So it will keep for some time longer than that, if you keep it cold and sealed. Once you open it though, use it up in five days for best flavor and maximum food safety.
- It contains 531 grams of Omega-3 fatty acids per serving. Research shows, though not conclusively, that consuming EPA and DHA Omega-3 fatty acids, may lower the risk of developing coronary heart disease, lower blood pressure, and help reduce arthritis inflammation.
- This seafood contains virtually no saturated fat, is a good source of protein, is gluten-free and trans fat-free, yet has plenty of the healthier fats.
- This is a great healthy snack but also functions well as an entrée. It’s delicious on pizzas, omelets, and salads. I’ve tried it on all of these. Tasty, each and every time.
- You can eat this right from the bag. No cooking or further preparations are necessary.
- This is a certified sustainable seafood, and is a product of the USA.
- The salmon is quite moist and easy to chew up, but satisfying and filling as well. Two ounces for lunch on bread or a salad along with a few whole-grain crackers, fills me up for the rest of the afternoon.
- The flavor here is certainly salmon but definitely mild. It will not overpower the other tastes in your salads, pita breads, or crackers. Its aroma might be stronger than its taste.
- This nova smoked salmon is a product of Denmark.
- They include a recipe for an avacado-based bread topper that includes this salmon product. Nice idea.
Disadvantages, Cons, Problems, and Concerns
- Warning: This product may contain bone fragments, though I’ve yet to encounter any myself.
- While this is a cured product, remember that it’s still raw and uncooked. While you need not cook it to safely eat it, some folks are taken aback at the thought of eating raw fish. If you’re one of those, you may cook it in a frying pan or in the microwave to remove the rawness.
- The scent of fish is moderate to strong in this product. However, if you’re a salmon fan as am I, it shouldn’t repel you.
- It must always be refrigerated at 38 degrees F or lower.
- It contains nitrites, and added salt and sugar.
- The package is not resealable. So unless you plan to eat this fish right away, be sure to transfer it to a sealable bag, or remove the inner card and clamp the original bag with a bag clip after folding the open end over itself a couple of times.
- Seafood, including salmon can contain mercury and other toxins. So modest consumption is advised. Do not eat any seafood every day; twice a week is a good rule of thumb. Make salmon part of a wide variety of seafood you enjoy each week.
- This salmon has a delicate flavor that can easily be cancelled by too much hot sauce, tartar sauce, or lemon. So generally, I do not season my salmon prior to eating; preferring to partake in its naked, natural flavor instead.
Ingredients List
Salmon, salt, sugar, natural green tea extract, sodium nitrite, nisin, and natural hardwood smoke.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving size: 2 Oz. (57 grams or about five slices). Servings per container: 4.
- Calories: 70. Fat calories: 20.
- Total fat: 2.5 grams, 4% DV.
- Saturated fat: 0.5 grams, 3% DV.
- Trans fat: 0 grams.
- Cholesterol: 30 milligrams, 10% DV.
- Sodium: 790 milligrams, 33% DV.
- Total carb: 0 grams, 0% DV.
- Dietary fiber: 0 grams, 0% DV.
- Sugars: 0 grams.
- Protein: 13 grams.
- Vitamin A: 0% DV.
- Calcium: 2% DV.
- Vitamin C: 0% DV.
- Iron: 2% DV.
Product Rating
Aside from the added nitrites, sugar, and salt, I like this product; especially its convenience. It’s healthy, tastes pretty good, and is not terribly expensive currently; though it does cost more per pound than many sliced lunch meats. I deem this extra cost well worth the added health benefits however, of consuming Acme smoked salmon. I’d rate this food at 90 out of 100.
Where To Buy Acme Smoked Nova Salmon
I’ve not seen this product in smaller grocery stores and convenience outlets. So I’d seek it at larger grocery stores and super food centers. I bought mine at Walmart. Look for it in the tan and clear, evacuated plastic bag, with a gold-colored rigid card inside upon which the salmon slices are laid. This snack food is produced by Acme Smoked Fish Corporation, which is based in Brooklyn, NY, USA.
Enjoy healthy eating.
References
Revision History
- : Moved this post to the Tom’s Diet Quest blog, added whitespace, adjusted ad placement, and tweaked the content.
- 2012-05-26: Originally published.