Scientists split on safety of salmon

13 April 2012
What is the latest scare?

Farmed Scottish salmon has, according to a team of American scientists, been found to contain high levels of harmful chemicals that could cause cancer.

The scientists claim eating just two ounces of Scottish salmon a month could put you at risk. However, the Government has challenged the findings, claiming the health benefits of eating oily fish such as salmon outweigh any risk.

How did scientists find this out?

The experts from Indiana University tested over two tonnes of fish, making it the largest study of salmon carried out. 594 whole salmon were purchased, along with 144 fillets.

These samples were then analysed for levels of different chemicals known to be toxic to humans. Their tests included salmon bought in London and Edinburgh.

The researchers also analysed the pellets the salmon were fed on. In the fish bought in Europe, particularly those from Scotland and the Faroe Islands, levels of 14 toxins were found to be particularly high.

Is all farmed salmon produced in the same way?

Some fish farms are better than others. Some supermarkets like Waitrose stock organic farmed salmon, which not only are fed on a more wholesome diet,they are nurtured in open seas and without the use of chemical pesticides.

What is causing the problem?

It is believed the pellets fed to farmed fish could be the cause of the toxins. They are made by grinding up other types of fish.

It is believed the toxins in these fish are being passed to the salmon, accumulating to dangerously high levels over time.

The fish used for the pellets are often caught on the bottom of the North Atlantic, where rivers wash contaminants into the sea.

What can eating affected

salmon do to me?

If large quantities of the chemicals believed to be present are ingested, it could lead to cancer in one case in 100,000. Some of the most dangerous chemicals associated with cancer - dieldrin, lindane, dioxins and PCBs, now all banned or carefully controlled - were found in samples of Scottish salmon.

But isn't salmon healthy?

Salmon is a very oily fish, and contains high levels of a fatty acid known as omega-3. This has been shown to be very good at protecting against heart disease, and regulating the heart's rhythm. Some studies even show Omega-3 can help ward off cancer and depression.

Should I stop eating salmon?

This is where the scientists disagree. The US team who carried out the research claim you shouldn't eat more than two ounces of Scottish farmed salmon each month. They also advised young girls and women of child-bearing age to steer clear of Scottish salmon altogether, for fear it could cause birth defects.

However, government scientists strongly disagree, claiming that current levels of consumption in UK were well within EU guidelines, and the health benefits of eating fatty fish far outweigh any risks.

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