Flesh quality of market-size farmed and wild British Columbia salmon

Environ Sci Technol. 2007 Jan 15;41(2):437-43. doi: 10.1021/es060409+.

Abstract

This study compared the flesh quality of farmed and wild sources of British Columbia (BC) salmon with respect to concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyl compounds, polychlorinated dibenzodioxins/dibenzofurans and their associated toxic equivalents, total mercury (THg), methylmercury (MeHg), and selected fatty acids of known importance for human health viz., omega-3 (n-3) highly unsaturated fatty acids (n-3 HUFAs) and (n-6) fatty acids. Skinned fillets from known sources of farmed Atlantic, coho, and chinook salmon (n = 110) and wild coho, chinook, chum, sockeye, and pink salmon (n = 91) were examined. Atlantic salmon contained higher PCB concentrations (means, 28-38 ng/g) than farmed coho or chinook salmon, and levels in these latter species were similar to those in wild counterparts (means, 2.8-13.7 ng/g). PCB levels in Atlantic salmon flesh were, nevertheless, 53-71-fold less than the level of concern for human consumption of fish, i.e., 2000 ng/g as established by Health Canada and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (US-FDA). Similarly, THg and MeHg levels in all samples were well below the Health Canada guideline (0.5 microg/g) and the US-FDA action level (1.0 microg/g). On average, THg in farmed salmon (0.021 microg/g) was similar to or lower than wild salmon (0.013-0.077 microg/g). Atlantic salmon were a richer source (mean, 2.34 g/100 g fillet) of n-3 HUFAs than the other farmed and wild sources of salmon examined (means, 0.39-1.17 g/100 g). The present findings support the recommended weekly consumption guidelines for oily fish species (includes all BC salmon sources) for cardio-protective benefits as made by the American Heart Association and the UK Food Standards Agency.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Aquaculture
  • Benzofurans / analysis*
  • British Columbia
  • Dioxins / analysis*
  • Environmental Monitoring / statistics & numerical data*
  • Fatty Acids / analysis*
  • Mercury Compounds / analysis*
  • Muscle, Skeletal / chemistry
  • Polychlorinated Biphenyls / analysis*
  • Salmon / metabolism*
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / analysis*

Substances

  • Benzofurans
  • Dioxins
  • Fatty Acids
  • Mercury Compounds
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical
  • Polychlorinated Biphenyls