Salmon: A health food or a toxin?

RICHARD SUTTON

This is true – if you are consuming the wild variety. Unfortunately farmed salmon does not live up to the reputation of its wild counterpart, and may in fact be harmful to our health.

Several medical experts began speaking out against farmed salmon. Dr Anne-Lise Bjørke-Monsen, a senior consultant from the Haukeland University Hospital in Norway, is a respected medical authority whose specialties include paediatrics, medical biochemistry, micronutrients and nutrition.

She and her team have been vocal in their warnings against the consumption of farmed salmon in the interests of public health and safety, particularly for young or pregnant pregnant women and children.

The first major study on the topic was published in Science in 2004. It was conducted by a large team of scientists, based at six research centres within the US.

The team assessed two metric tonnes of salmon which came from eight different salmon-producing regions in both the northern and southern hemispheres.

The goal was to investigate the levels of pollutants within the fish, as their carnivorous nature and position within the food chain makes them prime candidates in the bioaccumulation of contaminants.

The results shocked the researchers. It indicated that farmed salmon have significantly higher contaminant burdens than wild salmon and that farmed salmon from Europe (Scotland and Norway) are significantly more contaminated than farmed salmon from South and North America.

Thirteen organochlorine chemicals were identified in the farmed fish at levels that can significantly impact human health, such as numerous highly toxic and even banned chemicals, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dieldrin, toxaphene and dioxin.

Research has shown that these chemicals are associated with behavioural disorders in children; memory impairment; decreased IQ; neurodegenerative diseases; various forms of cancer; attention deficit disorder; the development of autism; and skeletal abnormalities.  

In a 2011 study published in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, levels of organochlorines and heavy metal contaminants were up to 11 times higher in farmed salmon, when compared with salmon in the wild.

The fundamental question is: “Why is farmed salmon so contaminated?”

The primary issue appears to be their diet. Farmed salmon are fed a concentrated feed, high in fish oils and fishmeal, which is obtained primarily from small pelagic fishes.

Additionally, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN, salmon feed contains, “animal by-product meal, poultry by-product meal, meat meal, blood meal, hydrolysed feather meal…” the list goes on to allegedly include pork by-products and genetically modified grains.

In addition, because salmon farming is very intensive (with large numbers of fish in very small spaces) there are challenges with the control of parasites, especially sea lice, viruses and bacteria.

According to reports that measured the levels of organochlorines (dioxins, PCBs) in a variety of different food sources, farmed salmon showed 10 times higher levels of these chemicals when compared to beef, and almost 15 times greater concentrations than chicken.

How much salmon can one consume without putting one’s health in jeopardy? According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, the recommendation is a salmon intake of two portions every five months, if it is from European origin (Scottish or Norwegian).

Salmon from North and South American origin is considerably less toxic and the guidelines are in the region of two portions a month. Wild salmon can be consumed fairly freely, about two to three portions a week.

Scientists have been mixing the genes of various fish species to create a new breed of salmon that is up to 13 times larger than its wild relative and can grow to full size in half the time (18 months as opposed to 36 months).

The only thing that is keeping the new “Frankenfish” off the Shabbos table for now is strong opposition from environmental groups, which believe that the GMO fish could escape from enclosures, out-compete wild salmon and contaminate wild stocks.

In December 2012, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in its draft environmental assessment, which is considered the last step before approval, wrote that the salmon was, “safe to eat and poses no threat to the environment”.

Dr Michael Hansen, a leading scientist for the Consumers Union and a senior representative for Consumers International, (a federation of more than 250 organisations in 110 countries) doesn’t share these views.

“We are particularly concerned that this salmon may pose an increased risk of severe, even life-threatening allergic reactions to sensitive individuals.”

The World Wildlife Federation (WWF) cites salmon aquaculture as the fastest growing food production system in the world and has voiced numerous concerns from both a human health and environmental perspective.

These fears are largely due to the excessive use of antibiotics, anti-foulants and dangerous pesticides, but also due to the fact that farmed salmon are infested with viruses and parasitic organisms that transfer between farmed and wild fish presenting a risk to wild populations and potentially even humans.

There are other health concerns associated with the consumption of farmed salmon, Colourants, made from coal tar, are fed to the fish to promote the distinctive reddish colour.

Studies over the last two decades show that consumption of artificial colourants are linked to immune system issues, behavioural disorders in children, as well as damage to our DNA.