Whether on the supermarket shelves or at the fish counter, salmon stands out for its rich, pinkish-orange colour. Where does this distinctive colour come from? Is it natural or artificial?.
Salmon is well known for its vibrant pink-orange hue. However there is a prevalent myth that farm-raised salmon is naturally grey and has to be artificially colored. In this article we’ll explore the truth behind salmon color and clear up the misconceptions about farm-raised salmon.
Why Salmon is Pink
Salmon flesh gets its distinctive color from carotenoid pigments in the diet. The two main carotenoids are astaxanthin and canthaxanthin. Wild salmon get these compounds by eating krill, shrimp and other small crustaceans. Carotenoids are stored in muscle tissue, which is what gives it its pink color.
The degree of pinkness depends on the amount and type of carotenoids consumed. Sockeye salmon has the deepest red flesh due to its astaxanthin-rich diet. Most king salmon meat is bright pink, while coho and chum salmon meat is paler pink.
Farm-Raised Salmon Color
Salmon raised in farms are fed a specially made diet that doesn’t have as many naturally occurring carotenoids as a wild diet. Without supplementation, their flesh would be pale and grayish.
To achieve a desirable color, astaxanthin and canthaxanthin are added to their feed. The FDA approves specific amounts of additives that can be used. The flesh becomes infused with pink pigment as the fish metabolize and store the compounds.
Farmers can control the final color by adjusting the amount of carotenoids A deeply pink salmon commands a higher market price, so farmers aim for the deepest pink possible
The Gray Salmon Myth
There is a common myth that farmed salmon is naturally grey and has to be artificially dyed after harvesting. This is false – the pigments are added to the feed and get incorporated into the flesh as the fish grows. No dyes are injected or sprayed onto the salmon post-harvest.
The myth originated from misleading marketing of astaxanthin supplements as “salmon colorants”. This gave the impression that the color was applied externally. In reality, it refers to the carotenoids given to farmed salmon while still alive.
An edited photo showing grey salmon fillets also contributed to the misconception. This photoshopped image continues to circulate social media, further perpetuating the myth.
Are Carotenoids Safe?
While astaxanthin supplementation is necessary for farmed salmon, some people are concerned about potential health risks. However, carotenoids have been extensively studied and deemed safe:
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Astaxanthin and canthaxanthin are approved by the FDA for salmon feed up to certain levels.
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The EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) states astaxanthin poses no safety concerns for consumers at permitted levels.
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Carotenoids like beta-carotene are important micronutrients with antioxidant properties. Salmon is a rich source of health-protective omega-3s.
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Retinal crystal deposits were linked to very high oral doses of canthaxanthin pills used as tanning agents. No retinal issues have been found from eating salmon.
Labeling of Color Added Salmon
To enable consumers to identify farm-raised salmon, the FDA requires labeling of salmon fed astaxanthin or canthaxanthin. Terms like “Artificial Color Added”, “Color Added” or “Contains Canthaxanthin” must be displayed.
While this may give the impression of artificial coloring, it simply refers to the supplemented carotenoids fed to salmon not dyes applied after harvesting. The labeling requirement aims to differentiate farmed versus wild salmon based on feed composition.
Future Outlook
Consumer wariness about supplemented carotenoids has led some experts to suggest removing astaxanthin from salmon feed. This would result in grey-fleshed farmed salmon sold at lower prices.
However, producing pale salmon may not be commercially viable. Deep pink salmon has strong market demand and commands higher prices. The feed additives also play an important role in salmon health and reproduction.
Alternatives like naturally-sourced algal astaxanthin continue to gain ground. Further innovations in feed to mimic wild diets may lead to brightly colored salmon without the need for separate colorants.
What’s the real colour of farmed salmon?
To find out, let’s look at the salmon’s food chain. Do farm-raised salmon and wild salmon have different colors?
Salmon is a predator, it eats smaller fish, krill and other small crustacea. These crustacea in turn feed off algae. This is where the colour comes in. Certain algae produce a plant pigment called astaxanthin.
Once they get eaten by animals that are bigger than them, these will also turn astaxanthin color. Astaxanthin is what makes crustaceans, salmon, and flamingos naturally the color they are.
Flamingoes are pink for the same reason as salmon.
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Whether on the supermarket shelves or at the fish counter, salmon stands out for its rich, pinkish-orange colour. Where does this distinctive colour come from? Is it natural or artificial?.
You’ve Been Eating Gray Salmon with Synthetic Pink Pigments
FAQ
What color should farm-raised salmon be?
Why is my salmon grey?
Is farm-raised salmon naturally white?
What does farm-raised salmon look like before coloring?
Is farmed salmon really gray?
Some have claimed that farmed salmon is naturally gray, suggesting they are malnourished, and consumers should avoid eating it for this reason. These claims are utterly false and perpetuate a myth that can confuse or scare salmon consumers.
Is farmed salmon as nutritious as wild salmon?
Scientific evidence suggests that farmed salmon may be larger than wild salmon and have a higher omega-3 content. However, it may also be more likely to contain contaminants.
What color is farm-raised salmon?
But for farm-raised salmon, which makes up 70 percent of the market, color has nothing to do with quality. Farm-raised salmon is naturally gray; the pink color is added. Wild salmon is naturally pink due to their diet which includes astaxanthin, a reddish-orange compound found in krill and shrimp.
Is farmed salmon poisonous?
It will look at four claims introduced in this Facebook post: that farmed salmon is poisonous, that it is the color gray shown in the photo, that the fish are fed artificial dyes to change their color and that eating these fish could pose a threat to human vision. Claim: Farmed salmon is poison