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A study published in the January 2004 issue of Science measured the presence of chemical contaminants in wild and farmed salmon from throughout the world. The study results indicated that levels of chemical contaminants found in both farm raised and wild salmon were significantly lower than the current acceptable standards set by federal government agencies in the U.S., Canada, Europe, and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Yet, media reports about the study have confused consumers and raised concerns about whether salmon is safe to eat. Gabriel Viteri, Senior Quality Assurance Director and Food Scientist at Acme Smoked Fish Corp. answers some of the most frequently asked questions about this study.
Q. Is farmed salmon safe to eat?
A. Yes. Farmed salmon is not only safe to eat, it is very good for you. Salmon is high in omega-3 fatty acids, which have been proven to help reduce the risk of heart disease, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, depression, premature births and arthritis symptoms. In addition, salmon is low in saturated fat and high in protein. Farm-raised salmon is one of the most available and affordable sources of these healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
Q. News reports about the study stated that farmed salmon has high levels of PCBs and dioxins. Is this true?
A. News reports about the study were confusing. This confusion was fueled, in part, by the researchers’ use of guidelines established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for acceptable levels of contaminants in fish. In the U.S., the FDA, not the EPA, sets food safety standards.
Researchers conducting the study measured average levels of PCBs in farmed salmon that are more than 50 times lower than the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) standard for PCBs in fish. Levels of other chemical contaminants measured in farm-raised salmon were also well below current regulatory levels established in the FDA and the World Health Organization (WHO.)
Q. Is the study valid?
A. In the opinion of many food science experts, including those at the FDA, the study was not valid because the testing method used by the researchers did not replicate the way people eat fish. The study examined 700 samples of wild and farmed salmon procured from several sources around the world. The salmon was tested raw, with the skin on. The highest levels of contaminants in fish or animal protein are always found in the skin. By removing the skin, as consumers do before eating salmon, a significant number of contaminants are also removed.
Q. Why does salmon contain chemical contaminants?
A. PCBs, dioxins and dioxin-like compounds are found in fish as well as in meat, poultry and dairy products. Because consumers eat so much more meat, poultry and dairy products than they do fish, these foods actually contribute more chemical contaminants to the human diet than farm raised salmon or other fish. For example, based on average American per capita consumption, PCB intake from salmon is only 1/8 the amount that people ingest from eating beef.
Q. What are PCBs?
A. PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) are by-products of industrial processes that enter the atmosphere as particulates or they may be washed into waterways through runoff. Because of their ability to be transported by water, air and animals, PCBs are found almost everywhere on earth, including the polar ice caps. PCBs were banned in the 1970s, and the level of PCBs in the environment has been steadily declining.
Q. Should I eat less salmon?
A. No. According to an FDA official, “In the end, our advice is not to alter consumption of farmed or wild salmon.” The FDA stated that salmon contains only “trace levels” of contaminants and that the health benefits gained by eating salmon far outweigh the risks. Hundreds of clinical studies have confirmed that the omega-3 fatty acids present in salmon and other fish can help to prevent heart disease and other illnesses.
Q. Where can I get more information?
A. The following web sites:
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