No proof exists that farm raised salmon is any safer than it was 10 years ago. In 2002, 700 samples of farm raised salmon showed 10 times the amount of PCBs, dioxins, pesticides, and mercury than wild salmon. What is typically called "Atlantic Salmon" is actually farmed in Chile and Canada. Farms in Scotland and Norway also show similar amounts of toxins. Farmed salmon absorb the PCBs and other industrial chemicals from the fishmeal & oils they are fed. Since the 2002 studies, no other tests have been performed. Environmental organizations oppose most salmon farming for the reason that large amounts of wild fish are used to feed the farmed fish, and that waste from the ponds pollute the oceans.
The EPA recommends that consumers eat farm raised fish no more than once a month. Use caution when purchasing frozen fish; packaging labels can be misleading. If it does not say "Wild", it probably isn't.
~ Institute for Health and the Environment, 2013
Could you please refer to which study you have that show that farmed raised salmon is not safe to eat?
ReplyDeleteThe level of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs in salmon fillets is as low as approximately one-eighth of the limit set by the EU for the legal sale of seafood. In addition, small traces of PCBs and heavy metals are present in a large number of the foods we eat every day, salmon included. But the health benefits of eating farmed salmon far outweigh any potential for health risk.
You have a tenfold higher risk of sudden cardiac death if you DON’T eat fish/salmon.
Overall, fish and shellfish make up only 9% of the average American’s PCB intake. By comparison, beef, chicken and pork account for 34% of PCB intake, while dairy products constitute 30% and vegetables provide 22% of the average dietary PCB intake.
Mozaffarian, D, et al. “Fish Intake, Contaminants, and Human Health.” JAMA. 296 (2006); 1885-1899.
The study was published by Prof. David Carpenter of the University of New York at Albany in 2002, and the EPA guidelines were published in 2004. The post is not to deter people from eating salmon, rather to learn where the fish come from - wild salmon is a safer choice. Also, certain types of fish contain higher levels than others; depending on age/size of the fish at harvest. Some people, especially pregnant women, chronic kidney disorders, and the elderly are more sensitive to toxins and therefore should be informed so they can make better food choices.
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