Does canned salmon need to be Bishul Yisroel, and is it a problem if it does not have a Mashgiach Temidi?
There are several reasons for leniency with regard to canned vegetables, sardines, salmon or tuna:
Firstly, many vegetables are edible raw, where the Issur of Bishul Akum doesn’t apply. With regard to foods that are not edible raw, there are those who argue that canned food isn’t Oleh Al Shulchan Melachim, fit to be served at a king’s table. Alternatively, it’s not common to invite people for a meal over canned food. See Rambam Maacholos Asuros 17:15. These arguments certainly hold true with some foods, such as sardines. But is highly questionable if it applies to other foods. See Teshuvos Vhanhagos 3:247. Cheshev Ha’efod 3:29. In some foods, the canned food requires further processing by the consumer after being canned. Many use this argument as a cause for leniency.
Other additional leniencies have been proposed for other foods: In most canning operations, the food is cooked in a stem chamber first with high temperature steam. According to many opinions, steamed products aren’t included in the Issur of Bishul Akum, just like smoking, since it isn’t the normal method of cooking. See Darkei Teshuvah 113:16. Shearim Metzuyanim B’halacha 38:5.
However, in some canning factories, or in some foods, the food is first cooked in a regular cooking process, prior to being retorted in the cans. Alternatively, the steam in the retort isn’t applied directly to the foods, but to the cans. Furthermore, since the food has water or broth inside the can, it can be argued that it is akin to regular cooking, even if steamed. (With sardines often the food is cooked first while the cans are open). See also Yabia Omer 5 YD 9.
Some are lenient in an industrial setting where there is no concern of social interactions between the manufacturer and the consumer. (Maharit Tzahalon, 161, brought in Birkei Yosef 112:9). According to Minchas Yitzchok 3:26:6, the combination of both factors, the steaming and the industrial setting, is sufficient grounds for leniency. See also Mesorah 1:94. Shevet Hakehasi 5:135.
A further reason for leniency, since modern facilities use a cooking system with specialized equipment that cannot be replicated in an ordinary household setting. (B’shem Reb Moshe Feinstein)
In practice, one may be lenient with canned food, which has no water in the can, and is only cooked via steam, but not with canned tuna with water.
However, the need for Mashgiach Temidi applies in all cases. Usually, if there is a Mashgiach Temidi, Bishul Yisroel is not an issue, as the Mashgiach can easily take care of that. Some make the claim that salmon fillets are different because they are recognized by their color, but many reject this argument.
See here:
May one buy salmon fillet without skin from a non-Kosher supermarket?
Sources:
See here:
and here.
שערים מצוינים בהלכה סי’ לח ס”ק ה.
דעת מהר”י צהלון בתשובותיו סי’ קסא.
אין דרך אדם להזמין חברו לאכילת דברים הללו, עיין רמב”ם פרק יז מהל’ מאכלות אסורות הל’ טו.
רמ”א בשו”ע יו”ד (סי’ קיג סעיף ב) שמותר לאכול אפונים קלויים שנתבשלו ע”י גוי, ובש”ך שם שיטת רש”י והר”ן שאין איסור בתבשילי עכו”מ אלא במקום שנשתנו ע”י הבישול.
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