Farmed Atlantic Salmon: A safe and healthy food
Health professionals agree that it is important to add more fish
to the diet for a range of health benefits, most notably heart health. Despite
this, some consumers are concerned about the presence of organic pollutants in
fish and seafood.
Persistent organic pollutants, such as PCBs, are present in
virtually all aspects of our lives from the clothes we wear, to the foods we eat.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the World Health
Organization state that both farmed and wild salmon contain similar low levels
of PCBs that are well within current safety guidelines.
Further, the most recent U.S. FDA Market Basket Study shows the
absolute amount of PCBs in other sources of protein, including poultry, beef
and pork, to be comparable to that of salmon. When consumption data is also
considered, the amount of PCBs consumed by eating salmon is much lower than
from other protein sources.
Research and reports published recently in the Journal of the
American Medical Association and Science Direct, and by the Institute of
Medicine in Washington, DC, clearly state that the health benefits of consuming
farmed salmon outweigh the risks.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Pyramid recommends
selecting fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, more often. A
source of lean protein that is naturally low in saturated fat, farm-raised
Atlantic salmon’s beneficial omega-3 DHA fatty acids help lower bad cholesterol
levels.