Farmed Salmon Contamination

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Scientists warn of farmed salmon contamination

 

 

By Victoria Griffith in Boston and John Mason in London

 

Published: January 9 2004 4:00 | Last Updated: January 9 2004 4:00

 

 

 

 

 

No one should eat Scottish farmed salmon more than once every four months because of the high level of contaminants, scientists say in a report today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

They also advise that children avoid farmed salmon altogether.

The research, published in today's edition of Science, casts a cloud over the fast-expanding fish farming industry and adds to confusion over the health benefits of fish.

"Because the effects are cumulative, it's very dangerous for pregnant women and young people to eat farmed salmon," said David Carpenter, an author of the paper and director of the Institute of Health and the Environment at the City University of Albany.

The Scottish salmon farming industry, which generates retail sales of more than $1bn (€790m, £560m) a year, questioned the findings, saying they supplied no data on levels of contamination in humans, just in fish.

"Consumers should be reassured by this research, despite its rather obvious attempt to stir anti-fish farming headlines," said John Webster, Scottish Quality Salmon technical consultant. "It actually says that 'individual contaminant concentrations . . . do not exceed US Food and Drug Administration [FDA] action or tolerance levels'."

Manfred Luetzow, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation's chemical risk assessor, said it still had to be established whether the increased levels of contaminants in farmed salmon came from fish feed or general contamination of the marine environment.

"Contamination of feed is not a surprise given how young fish farming and its regulation are but mitigation strategies are possible," he said.

The UK Food Standards Agency has been urging consumers to boost consumption of oily fish such as salmon, sardines, trout and mackerel to once a week as part of a balanced diet - far more than the level of consumption recommended by the US research. Oily fish contains valuable proteins, minerals and vitamins - particularly the fatty acid omega 3 - which can help prevent heart disease.

"Fish is good for your heart," said Mr Carpenter. "But it's a trade-off between cancer and heart disease."

The study compared the levels of PCBs and other pesticides in farmed Atlantic salmon to that of wild Pacific salmon. These contaminants have been linked to cancer, and are known to decrease IQ levels permanently in young children. Farmed fish in general contain 10 times more of these agents than wild fish, according to the Science article. In Scotland, the level was 25 times that in Pacific salmon. South America - where salmon farming is concentrated in Chile - had the least contamination.

The paper's authors theorised that fish were being given fish meal from local sources - nourishment higher in the food chain than the fish would consume in the wild. The areas of the globe that have been industrialised longest have the most contaminants.

As a general rule, the scientists said, consumers should favour wild fish over farmed, and American, particularly South American, fish over European.

 

Ian "Doc" Shillington N.D.505-772-5889Dr.IanShillington