Frequently Asked Questions

1. Where can I buy Saimaan Tuore products?

Saimaan Tuore products are sold at all well-stocked S- and K-group food stores throughout Finland.

2. In what conditions are Saimaan Tuore’s fish raised?

Saimaan Tuore’s fish are raised in flowing water at our recirculating aquaculture plant in Varkaus, Finland. They are raised under a roof indoors in a precisely optimised environment. Water is taken from Lake Saimaa, and even though it is already clean, it is purified continuously by filtering, biofiltering, disinfecting and oxygenating. This purification ensures that our fish are healthy and that environmental impacts are minimised. Basically, clean water means clean and healthy fish.

3. Does the recirculating aquaculture plant cause environmental damage to Lake Saimaa?

The recirculating aquaculture system used by Saimaan Tuore is the most environmentally friendly method for raising fish due to its low consumption of water and effective water purification processes, which remove nutrients before the water is released back into the lake. Saimaan Tuore’s recirculating aquaculture plant uses 99 percent less water than traditional fish farms. Our plant in Varkaus requires just 500 litres of water for each kilo of fish produced, whereas the corresponding figure for traditional fish farms is around 50,000 litres. Our own water purification processes are also very effective at removing phosphorous. The water that leaves our plant is further purified at Stora Enso’s water purification plant before being returned to the lake. In fact, the water from our plant actually improves the functioning of the water purification plant due to the nitrogen produced by our fish.

4. What do Saimaan Tuore’s fish eat?

We use fish feed that has been specially prepared for Saimaan Tuore’s rainbow trout. The feed contains high levels of Omega-3 that comes from marine algae. This is an environmentally friendly and clean way of enhancing the nutritional quality of fish feed. Other fish- and plant-based ingredients include fishmeal, fish oil, wheat, krill flour, vitamins and minerals. The feed production of our supplier has quality and environmental certification. The feed we use also has ASC certification, which guarantees that the ingredients are sustainably produced and fished. The quality of feed is very important not only for the wellbeing of our fish but also for the nutritional value and flavour of the fish meat.

5. Does the feed that is fed to Saimaan Tuore’s fish contain genetically modified soy?

No, the feed that is fed to Saimaan Tuore’s fish does not contain genetically modified soy.

6. Does the feed used by Saimaan Tuore contain environmental toxins?

No, the feed used for Saimaan Tuore does not contain fat-soluble pesticides or other environmental toxins.

7. Are Saimaan Tuore’s fish fed antibiotics?

All foods sold in Finland, including rainbow trout, are antibiotic free. The use of antibiotics in fish farming these days is extremely rare, and the use of pharmaceuticals is closely monitored. Antibiotics are never used as a preventive measure in fish farming. The optimal conditions provided by recirculating aquaculture systems significantly reduce fish diseases, and Saimaan Tuore has never had to use antibiotics at our own recirculating aquaculture plant. In accordance with Finland’s Animal Welfare Act, sick or injured animals must be given treatment, however, and Saimaan Tuore naturally complies with this legislation. Should antibiotics have to be used, they would only be used when the fish weigh less than five grams.

8. How clean are Saimaan Tuore’s fish?

The most important aspect for raising healthy fish is to provide clean and oxygen-rich flowing water. Recirculating aquaculture systems clean and monitor the water continuously. Even though the fish are raised in fresh water, the purity of the water means they can safely be eaten raw – for sushi even. They contain no parasites or anything else that would require them to be cooked. Clean water means clean fish.

9. Are Saimaan Tuore’s fillets easy to cook?

Saimaan Tuore’s rainbow trout is healthy fast food. The portion-sized fillets are as boneless as possible, and they can be cooked in a matter of minutes.

10. How affordable are Saimaan Tuore’s products?

The price varies according to store, but since Saimaan Tuore has perfect fishing waters all year round, the price fluctuates less than it does for natural fish or fish from traditional fish farms in natural water systems. The price of a single fillet/portion is generally 3.95-4.60 euros.

11. Where does the name Saimaan Tuore come from?

Saimaan Tuore translates as “Saimaa’s Fresh” and refers to the source and freshness of our fish.

12. How should Saimaan Tuore’s products be stored?

They should be refrigerated in temperatures below +3°C.

13. How long do Saimaan Tuore’s products keep in the fridge?

Each package has an expiry date.

14. How clean is Saimaan Tuore fish?

Clean water means clean fish. Our recirculating aquaculture plant uses fresh water from Lake Saimaa that is clean to begin with. The water is filtered to remove all solid particles bigger than 0.02 millimetres and any plastic particles before it enters the plant. Inside the plant, the water is circulated twice an hour through a purification system, which also effectively removes small particles.

15. Why should rainbow trout be farmed using recirculating aquaculture technology?

Demand for domestic rainbow trout is growing, while production has halved since peak years. The reason for this is our strict environmental permit system, which regulates where and how fish can be farmed without endangering our water systems. In addition, the Finnish climate creates its own limitations. Our response to the challenges is the recirculating aquaculture system, which saves water and reduces the amount of nutrients entering our water systems. This method also ensures that our fishing waters are always full of fish in both hot weather and cold, rain or shine.

16. Why do you farm fish if Finnish lakes are naturally full of fish?

We decided to begin farming fish using recirculating aquaculture technology to ensure that our fishing waters remain clean in the future and to maintain natural fish stocks for generations to come. Fish farming is also necessary due to the lack of fishermen, and the amount of fish caught in natural water systems is insufficient to satisfy demand in the fish markets.

17. How big are Saimaan Tuore’s fillets?

Saimaan Tuore’s rainbow trout is sold in packages containing one or two fillets. Packages containing one fillet are perfect for one adult, while packages containing double fillets are perfect for two adults or one adult and two children. Another sign of Savonian ingenuity is the fact that our fillets are the perfect size for 26-centimetre frying pans. Packaging fish as perfect portions reduces food waste, and the size is also perfect for optimising breeding and feeding.

18. How does Saimaan Tuore differ from Norwegian salmon?

Unlike Norwegian salmon, Saimaan Tuore’s rainbow trout is 100% traceable. Our fish are raised in Finland, and we have precise data about their origin and growth conditions. They are raised at our recirculating aquaculture plant in Varkaus, Finland, using fresh water from Lake Saimaa that is purified continuously. Our method ensures consistent availability, quality and price all year round. Saimaan Tuore’s rainbow trout is sold as portion-sized fillets that reduce food waste and that are the perfect size for optimal breeding and feeding.

19. How does Saimaan Tuore differ from other Finnish rainbow trout?

Most of the rainbow trout that is sold in Finland is farmed using traditional methods in natural water systems or in outdoor pools. Saimaan Tuore’s fish are raised indoors at our recirculating aquaculture plant, which purifies the water continuously. This ensures consistent growth conditions without seasonal variations in availability, quality or price. The meat on rainbow trout raised using Saimaan Tuore’s recirculating aquaculture method is so clean that it can be safely eaten raw, for example as sushi.

20. Why is Saimaan Tuore’s rainbow trout packaged in plastic?

Packaging always involves compromises. Non-plastic packaging still does not offer sufficient shelf life, but we still try to minimise the amount of plastic. Our fillets are placed on top of cardboard, and only the top side of the packaging is plastic. From an ecological perspective, it is more important to guarantee good shelf life and minimise food waste. The thin plastic film on our packaging is easy to remove from the cardboard base, allowing both sides to be recycled easily.

21. How long does it take to get the fish from the processing plant to shops?

Our fish is raised, processed, filleted and packaged in Varkaus and delivered to retail stores on the same day they were caught.

22. How are the fish slaughtered?

Before slaughtering, our fish spend around one week fasting in the fresh waters of Lake Saimaa. The fish are stunned electrically, which is fast and painless. The fish are then placed in ice water. Unlike other fish suppliers, we fillet all our fish immediately.

23. Do Saimaan Tuore’s rainbow trout contain heavy metals?

According to nutritional recommendations, you should vary the type of fish you eat, as wild freshwater fish and sea fish absorb different contaminants. Mercury originates in soil, but it is accumulated in fish through the food chain; for this reason, large predatory fish contain larger traces. Saimaan Tuore uses feed with both quality and environmental certification that guarantee that it has very low levels of contaminants. The mercury content of farmed rainbow trout has been shown in research to be extremely low. It should also be noted that Saimaan Tuore’s fillets are made from young fish whose contaminant levels are at their lowest.

24. What happens to the fish entrails after cleaning?

Not a single part of the fish is thrown away or goes to waste. Cuttings form the filleting process are used for ground fish, fish balls and fish steaks, while the bones are used for fish stock and sauces. The portion-sized fillets reduce food waste and are the perfect size for optimal breeding and feeding.

25. Do Saimaan Tuore’s rainbow trout contain salmon lice or other parasites?

Finnish fish farming is not affected by salmon lice, unlike in Norway, where they mainly affect industrial processing plants. The recirculating aquaculture system prevents lice from contaminating the fish, as a result of which this technology is becoming increasingly popular also in Norway.