Does Bumble Bee Tuna Have Soy? Yes; StarKist Says No

The two labels differ on soy, and the per-can figures differ on protein and omega-3, while both list 360 mg sodium for a 5 oz drained can. Bumble Bee's allergen lines name soy for most listed sizes, and StarKist's FAQ says its vegetable broth does not use soy, so the allergen statement on the can in your hand is the most useful check. This comparison sets the label facts side by side and leaves the decision to you.

Key takeaways

• Bumble Bee's allergen lines name soy for most listed sizes, while StarKist's FAQ says its vegetable broth does not use soy.
• Per 5 oz drained can (113 g), both products list 360 mg sodium. Bumble Bee shows 16% DV for that figure.
• Per 5 oz can, Bumble Bee lists 23 g protein and 220 mg EPA plus DHA, while StarKist lists 20 g protein and 180 mg EPA plus DHA. The omega-3 figures use different serving bases.
• FDA's Advice about Eating Fish places canned light tuna, including skipjack, in its Best Choices list and recommends two servings a week from that list for children.

Does Bumble Bee Chunk Light Tuna in Water Have Soy?

Yes, according to the allergen lines on the Bumble Bee product page, which read "Contain: Tuna, Soy" or "Contain: Fish (Tuna), Soy" for most listed sizes. One listed size shows "Contain: Tuna" only.

The ingredient statement for Bumble Bee Chunk Light Tuna in Water reads "Light Tuna, Water, Vegetable Broth, Sea Salt." Vegetable broth is therefore a listed ingredient, and soy appears in the allergen statement for most sizes. The page lists sizes of 5 oz (142 g), 3 oz (85 g), 12 oz (340 g), and 66.5 oz, but it presents its four allergen statements without size labels. The sources do not show which size carries which statement, and the vegetables in the broth and the source of the soy are not disclosed.

Does StarKist Chunk Light Tuna in Water Have Soy?

StarKist's FAQ says its vegetable broth does not contain soy, stating that StarKist "currently uses potato, carrots, or peas and does not use soy in our vegetable broth." That is a brand statement, and it is not the same as an allergen line on a specific can.

The Open Food Facts entry for StarKist Chunk Light Tuna in Water lists the ingredients as "Light tuna, water, vegetable broth, salt." The FAQ also describes vegetable broth as "added to some StarKist Tuna products as a flavor enhancer," which means the broth is not necessarily in every product line. StarKist Selects products are described separately as containing "just tuna, water and sea salt, or tuna, extra virgin olive oil and sea salt," so that description should not be assumed to apply to Chunk Light.

The broth ingredients and allergen statement on current StarKist packaging were not confirmed for this comparison. Reading the allergen line and ingredient list on the specific can you buy is the most reliable check.

Why Does Canned Tuna in Water Contain Soy in the Broth?

The sources here do not explain why a brand chooses soy in its broth, and they do not show that every can of tuna in water contains soy. Soy appears in the Bumble Bee allergen lines, while StarKist's FAQ describes a broth made from potato, carrots, or peas.

Vegetable broth in these products is described as a flavor enhancer by StarKist. FDA lists soybeans among the major food allergens, along with milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and sesame. For that reason, an allergen statement that names soy matters to shoppers who avoid soy, even when the amount of broth in a can is small. For more on how allergen disclosure is changing, see FDA 2026 Food Code and Sesame: Allergen Disclosure Moves to Menus.

Is Tuna in Water JUST Tuna in Water?

No. Bumble Bee's listed ingredients are tuna, water, vegetable broth, and sea salt, and the Open Food Facts entry for StarKist lists light tuna, water, vegetable broth, and salt. Both products therefore list more than tuna and water.

StarKist's FAQ also discusses pyrophosphate, which it describes as "an FDA approved food additive used at permitted levels to help prevent the formation of small naturally occurring crystals called struvite." The Open Food Facts ingredient list for StarKist does not show pyrophosphate, and the sources do not establish whether the current Chunk Light can lists it.

How Much Sodium Is in StarKist vs Bumble Bee Chunk Light Tuna in Water?

Per 5 oz can drained (113 g), both products list 360 mg sodium. Bumble Bee states this as 16% DV, while the StarKist %DV for that can is not shown on the page.

FDA describes 20% DV or more of sodium per serving as high and 5% DV or less as low. The Daily Value for sodium is less than 2,300 mg per day. Bumble Bee's 16% DV falls between those two markers, and the sources do not rank either figure as better. StarKist's 3 oz can (79 g) lists 320 mg, and its 12 oz can lists 320 mg per 3 oz drained serving (85 g). Bumble Bee's 3 oz sodium figure is not in the sources reviewed here.

Sodium needs depend on the rest of a person's diet and health, and a single can's figure cannot show how a particular person's intake compares with guidance.

How Much Protein Is in StarKist vs Bumble Bee Chunk Light Tuna in Water?

Per 5 oz can drained (113 g), Bumble Bee lists 23 g protein (41% DV), and StarKist lists 20 g. Those are the two 5 oz figures with matching serving bases.

StarKist's 3 oz can (79 g) lists 16 g protein, and its 12 oz can lists 16 g protein per 3 oz drained serving (85 g), with three servings per can. Because the serving weights differ across sizes, compare the 5 oz figures first and check the Nutrition Facts panel for the size you buy. The sources do not show a Bumble Bee 3 oz protein figure or a StarKist protein %DV.

How Much Omega-3 Is in StarKist vs Bumble Bee Chunk Light Tuna in Water?

Bumble Bee's page headline lists 220 mg EPA plus DHA omega-3s per 5 oz (142 g) serving, and StarKist lists 180 mg EPA plus DHA per 5 oz can drained (113 g). The two figures are not on the same serving basis, because Bumble Bee uses 142 g and StarKist uses the 113 g drained weight.

StarKist's 3 oz can (79 g) lists 160 mg omega-3 (EPA plus DHA). The sources do not show a Bumble Bee omega-3 figure for the 3 oz size. Omega-3 content on a label describes the product, and it does not establish what any single person will experience after eating it.

Is Canned Light Tuna Safe for Kids Under the FDA Fish Advice?

FDA's Advice about Eating Fish places canned light tuna, including skipjack, in its Best Choices list, and it recommends that children eat 2 servings a week from Best Choices. Tuna yellowfin and albacore or white tuna appear in the Good Choices list.

The advice lists average serving sizes by age: about 1 ounce for ages 1 to 3, 2 ounces for ages 4 to 7, 3 ounces for ages 8 to 10, and 4 ounces for age 11. The advice is organized by fish type, and it does not name brands. StarKist says its "Light" tuna "is primarily skipjack or yellowfin." Bumble Bee's species for a given can is not disclosed, so a shopper cannot match a Bumble Bee can to an FDA category from the label alone.

Mercury concentrations for either brand are not disclosed. StarKist states that all its tuna is "well below" the FDA's 1 ppm level, but that is a brand statement without a published figure. Children with a soy allergy should read the allergen line on the specific can, since soy is a major allergen. Parents with questions about a child's diet or health should speak with a clinician.

What Does the Side-by-Side Label Comparison Show for StarKist vs Bumble Bee?

The two labels follow the same basic format, but they differ on the broth allergen statement and on several per-can figures. The table below uses the 5 oz drained can (113 g) where both brands publish that basis.

Label item (5 oz can, drained, 113 g)	Bumble Bee Chunk Light Tuna in Water	StarKist Chunk Light Tuna in Water
Ingredients	Light Tuna, Water, Vegetable Broth, Sea Salt	Light tuna, water, vegetable broth, salt (Open Food Facts)
Soy in allergen line	Named for most listed sizes	FAQ says broth does not use soy; current can not verified
Calories	110	90
Total fat	1 g	0.5 g
Cholesterol	55 mg	45 mg
Sodium	360 mg (16% DV)	360 mg (%DV not shown)
Protein	23 g (41% DV)	20 g
Omega-3 (EPA plus DHA)	220 mg per 5 oz (142 g) serving	180 mg
Selenium	46 mcg (80% DV)	Not shown in sources

Several label facts are not disclosed for either brand. Mercury concentration, tuna species for a given Bumble Bee can, the vegetables and soy source in Bumble Bee's broth, and StarKist's current pyrophosphate status are all absent from the sources reviewed here.

When reading any tuna label, these checks help:

• Find the allergen line and note whether it names soy, and whether it lists a size.
• Confirm the serving size and drained weight before comparing protein or omega-3.
• Compare sodium in milligrams and against the 2,300 mg Daily Value.
• Check the ingredient list for broth, salt, or other additives.
• Look up the FDA fish category for the species, if the label names it.

For another side-by-side label comparison built on the same method, see Oatly vs Silk Oat Milk: Why Both List 7 g Added Sugar.

These label facts cannot show how any individual will respond to soy, sodium, or tuna, and they do not cover every size, batch, or regional product. The labels on the can you buy are the most specific evidence available.