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Salmon
poses PCB concerns
April 1, 04
Suzanne Havala Hobbs
News
reports often contain conflicting information about the health
benefits and drawbacks of certain foods. Unless the information
is put into perspective, it may leave you utterly confused
about what to eat.
Recent news about farmed salmon is a case in point.
Salmon contains omega-3 fatty acids – a heart healthy
fat found in oily fish and certain plant products such as
flax seeds and walnuts.
For that reason, salmon consumption has risen dramatically.
Due to the limited supply and relatively high cost of wild
salmon, most salmon eaten in the U.S. is now raised on farms.
And therein lies the problem.
A major study published in the journal Nature in January backed
up earlier smaller studies showing farmed salmon worldwide
contains significantly higher concentrations of environmental
contaminants – particularly cancer-causing PCBs, or
polychlorinated biphenyls – compared to wild salmon.
The levels are high enough to call into question whether the
risks of eating farmed salmon outweigh the benefits.
Industry advocates and government officials point out that
PCB levels found in farmed salmon – while much higher
than those found in wild salmon – are still below the
tolerance levels set by the Food and Drug Administration.
However, PCB standards for commercial seafood regulated by
the FDA have not been updated since they were set in 1984
and should be tightened in light of research during the past
20 years underscoring the harmful effects of PCBs.
In fact, PCB standards for fish caught by recreational fishermen
have been tightened in recent years by the agency that regulates
those fish, the Environmental Protection Agency. The result
is this odd situation: If a weekend fisherman were to go out
and catch a salmon from a salmon farm pond, EPA standards
would dictate that he or she eat no more than one serving
of that fish per month because of its elevated PCB levels.
Problems with farmed salmon stem in part from the fish chow
they are fed, which is made from smaller fish and fish oils
tainted with PCBs. The PCBs in the fish chow are stored and
concentrated in salmon fat.
Farmed and wild salmon look similar in stores, though farmed
salmon has nearly twice the fat, more that twice the saturated
fat, and less omega-3 fatty acids than wild salmon.
How can you reconcile the pros and cons of eating salmon?
Here is my advice for people who want to eat salmon:
* Pay more and buy wild-caught. That’s especially important
for children and women in their childbearing years. If you
do eat farmed salmon, eat no more than 8 ounces (6 ounces
cooked) per month. Note: if the fish isn’t labeled wild-caught,
you’ll have to ask.
* Buy canned salmon. Most is wild-caught. That includes Chicken
of the Sea and Bumble Bee brand salmon in cans or pouches,
with the exception of Bumble Bee premium smoked salmon in
oil, which is farmed salmon.
* Vary it. Eat other sources of omega-3 fatty acids, such
as walnuts, flaxseed oil, and other kinds of oily fish including
sardines, herring and mackerel (Atlantic or chub).
* Remove fat. Remove the skin and as much fat as possible
from farmed salmon. And cook it in a way that removes fat,
such as broiling or baking. The less fat, the fewer PCBs.
You can’t eat a risk-free diet. But you can take steps
to minimize your exposure to harmful substances. Sticking
with foods as close to their natural state as possible –
in this case, fish raised in their wild habitat – is
often a smart move.
Next week we’ll take a look at mercury and tuna.
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