March 8, 2002 – The enthusiasm for salmon has not dried up since the virtues of the omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids it contains have been put in the spotlight. But the term “salmon” encompasses different varieties that are not all equal in omega-3 content. In addition, wild salmon and farmed salmon do not show the same levels of omega-3. So how do you get the right catch from the fishmonger’s or the grocery store?
There are two main categories of salmon corresponding to the oceanic location, namely Pacific salmon and Atlantic salmon. But with farms at sea, Atlantic salmon is now farmed in the ocean … Pacific! Several factors can be involved in the omega-3 fatty acid content: geographic origin, species, food, age, level of maturity, migration stage, part of the salmon analyzed, etc.1 It therefore seems very adventurous to give reliable figures, however, Atlantic salmon (1.6 g for an 85 g serving) and chinook salmon hold the gold medal followed closely by sockeye salmon (sockeye). Next comes the coho salmon (0.9 g for an 85 g serving). Pink salmon and chum salmon are considered to be of lower quality in this area. The two gold medalists are not usually found in a can.
It seems difficult, if not impossible, to buy fresh wild Atlantic salmon in Canada; only farmed Atlantic salmon is offered on the shelves. However, according to a French study from 1999,2 the level of omega-3 present in farmed salmon is much lower than that in wild salmon, figures which are contradicted by those given by the aquaculture industry. In farmed fish, the fatty acid composition is largely influenced by the food given to them, thus blurring the specificity linked to the species. The salmon menu is made up of fish meal, fish oil, soybean meal, corn gluten, poultry by-products and feather meal, not to mention antibiotics to counteract diseases common in farms where spaces are rather limited.3 We can therefore wonder if the emphasis on omega-3s does not serve to drown the fish and make you forget the other ingredients! Wild salmon is not without risk either with its risk of heavy metal contamination.
It therefore seems very difficult to clear a passage in order to get a clear idea in these waters where even a mother salmon would not find her fry. If asking questions about the origin of the fish, reading the labels of canned goods, avoiding abuse, etc. is not enough, it is always possible to turn to flax seeds which, with their high content of alpha-linoleic acid (omega-3), are not small fry.
Élisabeth Mercader – PasseportSanté.net
According to La Presse, March 2, 2002
1. Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance. Farmed salmon and fat. [Consulté le 5 mars 2002]. http://www.aquaculture.ca/French/CAIA_fSalmonFat.html
2. Ministry of the Economy, Finance and Industry. Differentiation between wild fish and farmed fish. [Consulté le 5 mars 2002]. http://www.finances.gouv.fr/DGCCRF/activites/labos/1999/poissons.htm
3. Protect yourself. Drown the fish. February 2002.