Food Safety

Farm salmon are fresh, healthy products, rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, which can keep our bodies and minds healthy. Salmon farmers work with government inspectors and researchers to ensure farm salmon meets the highest standards for quality and freshness. The growing range of value-added products - including smoked salmon, boneless fillets, salmon sausage, lox, pate, and many other preparations of farm salmon - provides even more delicious ways to enjoy salmon.

Today, many people are looking for healthy choices in their diet and lifestyles. Fish are an important part of a well-balanced diet, and the Omega-3 fatty acids in salmon mean this product may provide some particularly compelling health benefits. And thanks to the salmon farming industry, fresh and high-quality salmon is now available year-round.

• How are product quality and safety assured?
• What are Omega-3 fatty acids, and what health benefits do they have?
• Is farm salmon artificially coloured?
• Do salmon contain harmful parasites?
• Do farm salmon contain antibiotics or hormones?
• Do salmon contain any other contaminants?

Farm salmon are fresh, healthy products, rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, which can keep our bodies and minds healthy. Salmon farmers will continue to work with government inspectors and researchers to ensure farm salmon remains a safe, healthy product. The growing range of value-added products - including smoked salmon, boneless fillets, salmon sausage, lox, pate, and many other preparations of farm salmon - provides even more delicious ways to enjoy salmon year round.

How are product quality and safety assured?
Salmon have delicate flesh and must be processed, handled and transported carefully and rapidly to preserve their quality. Fish are brought to the processing plant live or within hours of being harvested, and are usually delivered to market within 48 to 60 hours after being taken from the water. All BC farm salmon processors operate under stringent standards and undergo regular government inspections. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency also samples and analyzes farm salmon to ensure that it meets all government health standards.

What are Omega-3 fatty acids, and what health benefits do they have?
Salmon and other cold water, oily fish are the best source for Omega-3 fatty acids - a type of fat with an amazing array of potential health benefits. These nutrients may reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke or cancer, help lower blood pressure, reduce depression, and relieve the pain of rheumatoid arthritis. Omega-3 fatty acids are very important nutrients for children as they are essential components for brain, nerve and eye development, and may help alleviate the symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and reduce the risk of asthma. There are an enormous number of studies indicating the potential health benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids, and Health Canada recommends two to three portions of fish per week, with at least one portion being an oily fish like salmon.

Is farm salmon artificially coloured?
Consumers often look for a pink or red flesh color when they buy their salmon. This colour is a result of carotenoid pigments, which wild salmon obtain from krill or other small crustaceans in their diet. These pigments are also antioxidants, which make an important contribution to the health of the fish and to the nutritional benefits they provide when consumed by humans. These same pigments are added to the diets of farmed fish.

Do salmon contain harmful parasites?
Wild salmon commonly do have Anasakis nematodes that can cause disease in humans if the fish are not correctly prepared. As a result, salmon should be frozen very solidly for at least three days, or cooked very well to ensure such parasites are destroyed. Wild salmon contract these parasites through their diet of live fish and invertebrates, but because farmed fish are fed heat sterilized pelleted food, these parasites have never been found in farm salmon (Kent & Poppe, 1998).

Do farm salmon contain antibiotics or hormones?
Antibiotics are less frequently used in salmon farming than in other livestock farming. All antibiotic use is under the supervision and prescription of a licensed fish health veterinarian, and is governed by both federal and provincial legislation and regulations. There is a mandatory waiting period after treatment, to ensure that antibiotics are cleared from the animal's system, before they can be harvested. Hormones are not used in farm salmon grown for human consumption (Sheppard, 2000).

Do salmon contain any other contaminants?
All food, including beef, chicken, seafood, grains and vegetables, contain trace levels of persistent organic chemicals such as PCBs. This is because these chemicals are everywhere in the environment in very, very small quantities. Seafoods containing higher oil content do have higher levels than some other foods. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency regularly monitors farmed salmon and all food products to ensure that they are safe to eat, and health professionals recommend the consumption of oily fish like salmon at least once a week. This is because the enormous health benefits of eating fish far outweigh any potential health risks.