Ocean-Farmed Salmon & PCBs

Numerous independent research studies - including those by the FDA, National Cancer Institute and National Academy of Sciences - have concluded that the PCB levels in both farmed and wild salmon are well below the FDA tolerance levels for PCBs. For example, in a 2003 Environmental Working Group (EWG) report on PCBs, farmed salmon was found to contain a low 275 parts per billion, whereas beef was found to contain 2,016 parts per billion, and poultry 386 parts per billion.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), as all other persistent organic contaminants, are a concern in many foods. Continuous testing done by members of Salmon of the Americas and others indicates that PCB limits in ocean-farmed salmon are almost equal to those found in wild salmon, and well below Food and Drug Administration (FDA) limits (about 1/200).

Low PCB Levels in Salmon

It is widely agreed that salmon’s health benefits overshadow miniscule traces of the compound, and the EPA has criticized statements to the contrary as “politically, not toxicologically, driven.”

As Harvard epidemiology and nutrition professor Eric Rimm said in October 2004, “The health benefits of the protein and omega-3 fatty acids found in wild salmon or [ocean] farmed salmon from Canada or Chile, where the U.S. gets most of its salmon, will almost definitely outweigh the risks for American adults where the leading cause of death is from cardiovascular disease.”

Salmon of the America (SOTA) ocean-farmed salmon producers routinely test their fish using certified, independent labs employing state of the art detection technology for PCB levels. This is done both as a routine quality control check on their operations and to satisfy specific requests of their customers for assurances and certification that PCB levels are not just within U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tolerance, but as low as possible.

These tests normally show ocean-farmed salmon to be 1/100 of the FDA tolerance for PCBs. The ongoing FDA "market basket" study shows, for instance, a decline of 28 percent from 1998 to 2001 (the last year for which "market basket" numbers are currently available).

On the other hand, wild salmon are not routinely tested for PCBs. In spite of the fact that much of the focus has been to compare PCB levels in ocean-farmed to wild salmon, the levels actually documented in large independent studies in wild salmon have been ignored. View a PCB Q&A »

The Newest PCB Research

New test results for SOTA ocean-farmed Atlantic salmon show continuing declines in PCB levels. Conducted in May 2005, the tests show that the PCB levels in ocean-farmed salmon continue to decline significantly and are now almost identical to those found in wild salmon. The PCB levels for ocean-farmed and wild salmon are now approximately 1/200 of the USFDA tolerance and well within tolerances set anywhere in the world. Collection of samples and sampling methodology were performed by impartial third parties to ensure confidence in the results. Read expert testimonials on the benefits of salmon »

Health Benefits of Ocean-Farmed Salmon

Ocean-farmed salmon is one of the best sources of Omega-3 fatty acids, providing up to four times the amount of other fish.

Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to prevent heart attacks, stroke and Alzheimer’s disease, minimize arthritis symptoms, reduce hypertension, and control blood glucose levels. Recent studies have found that women who eat fatty fish once a week have a 40 percent lower risk of heart disease and seniors who eat fish once a week cut their risk of Alzheimer’s by 60 percent. Learn more »

Salmon of the Americas’ Pledge

While the risk of these trace amounts of contaminants is yet unproven, we agree that any contaminants are unacceptable in any food. Member companies of Salmon of the Americas continue to bring considerable resources to bear on reducing the levels of PCBs in our salmon. This effort has been successful in reducing levels to date and future work, both by member companies and a SOTA coordinated effort, will continue to move ocean-farmed salmon to even lower levels.

We hope to someday to completely remove all traces of contaminants in salmon.

We also look forward to working with responsible non-industry parties to identify the problems and opportunities involved in reaching these goals in a way that keeps the needs of consumers in mind as we deal with these issues in an honest and open fashion.

Minimizing PCB intake »

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