Salmon is prized for its bright orange-red color, but did you know that farmed salmon is sometimes dyed to achieve that desirable hue? While food authorities consider dyed salmon safe to eat, many consumers prefer to avoid fish that has been artificially colored. So how can you tell if the salmon you are buying has been dyed? Here are some tips to identify artificially colored salmon
Why Salmon is Dyed
Fish farms often dye salmon and other fish to give them a more appealing color. Wild salmon get their vivid red-orange pigment from eating krill and shellfish that contain natural astaxanthin. Farmed salmon are fed processed feeds that lack this reddening compound.
To compensate some farms add synthetic astaxanthin dyes to the feed. This pigments the salmon’s flesh. The practice is controversial, but approved for use and considered safe. Still many consumers want to avoid dyed fish for personal reasons.
Signs Salmon Has Been Dyed
Here are some indicators that salmon you are purchasing may have been artificially colored
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Unnaturally uniform color – Dyed salmon often has a very consistent, overly bright hue compared to natural variations in wild fish.
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Lighter pink or orange tone – Wild salmon are typically deeper red. Farmed salmon can look paler without dye.
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Not a lot of fat: Wild salmon have fine white fat lines because they work out and eat a variety of foods. Farmed salmon are more heavily marbled.
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Color additives are listed on the label. Look for “color added” or specific pigment names like canthaxanthin.
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Sold out of season – Wild salmon availability follows natural seasons. If fresh “wild” salmon is sold year-round, it is likely farmed and potentially dyed.
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Lower price – Inexpensive salmon is nearly always farmed and may be dyed. Higher quality wild salmon commands a higher price.
Ask Questions to Determine if Salmon is Dyed
If you are unsure if salmon has been dyed, ask questions! Here are some things to find out from your seller or fishmonger:
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Where is the salmon from? Dyeing practices are more common on some salmon farms.
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Is it wild or farmed? Wild is very unlikely to be dyed.
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Has color been added? A transparent seller will know and disclose dyeing.
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What feed do you use? Natural astaxanthin-containing feeds may color salmon naturally.
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Is it organic or certified sustainable? These producers are less likely to dye.
Alternatives to Buying Dyed Salmon
To avoid dyed salmon, here are some shopping tips:
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Look for wild-caught Pacific or Alaskan salmon. It will appear more natural.
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Select sustainably farmed organic salmon, which should not contain dyes.
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Check for reputable third party “no dye added” labels on farmed salmon.
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When you find a transparent, responsible salmon supplier, stick with them!
Is Eating Dyed Salmon Safe?
Government food authorities designate salmon dyes as safe for human consumption when used properly. The amounts present in fish fillets are considered too small to be a health hazard. But some consumers still prefer to avoid dyed salmon, especially pregnant women and parents of young children. There are no major risks, but the practice remains controversial.
Should You Avoid Dyed Salmon?
While authorities assure dyed salmon is safe to eat, each consumer must decide for themselves if they are comfortable purchasing artificially colored fish. Ask questions, research production practices, and compare products to find salmon that meets your standards. With some diligent label reading and an inquisitive fishmonger, you can likely find tasty salmon whose color comes naturally.
What color are different types of wild-caught salmon?
Salmon get their color from the animals they eat in the wild. This is what makes salmon red or pink. This unique color reflects this carnivore’s diet of shrimp and krill. Different kinds of salmon eat different amounts of these crustaceans high in carotenoids, which changes how red or pink they turn. Sockeye salmon, for example, tend to have the deepest color because they eat a lot of carotenoid-rich zooplankton throughout their life. Coho salmon, on the other hand, switch from eating zooplankton to small fish as they get older.
Because of this, coho tends to be pink or orange. To keep its lighter color, king salmon, also known as chinook salmon, eats small fish. Depending on where its caught its color can range from orange to a subtle pink with gray tones.
Interestingly, king salmon can either be “red” or “white. ” King salmon can carry a recessive trait that leads to white or ivory flesh. People who fish and hunt used to like the type of king salmon they were used to, but now wild-caught white king salmon is seen as more of a treat. Now, does it taste the same as its more colorful counterpart? That’s up for debate.
An Overview on How a Salmon’s Diet Affects Its Color
You might turn orange if you eat a lot of carrots. The same thing happens to salmon when they eat carotenoids, an antioxidant that gives salmon its color. Astaxanthin is a caratenoid that salmon eat a lot of in the wild, and this is reflected in the natural color of salmon flesh. Farmed salmon, in contrast, get their carotenoids from manmade pellets.
How to Distinguish Farmed vs. Wild Salmon
FAQ
How do you know if your salmon is dyed?
What does non dyed salmon look like?
Is supermarket salmon dyed?
Does all salmon have dye?
How do wild salmon get their color?
While wild salmon get their color by eating shrimp and krill, farm-raised salmon generally have carotenoids added to their feed, either through natural ingredients like ground-up crustaceans or synthetic forms created in a lab. At West Creek, carotenoids derived from algae are included in the salmon’s food.
What are the side effects of eating Salmon?
For individuals who enjoy fish and do not have a fish allergy, salmon is a high-quality, nutrient-rich food to include in your diet. Unless an individual has a fish allergy, the side effects from eating salmon would primarily be positive for heart and brain health for instance. It is possible that farmed salmon contains higher amounts of contaminants like PCBs compared to wild salmon and that eating it regularly may contribute to an accumulation of toxins. However, very large amounts of contaminated farmed salmon would have to be consumed and many salmon farms are finding sustainable practices that considerably reduce contaminants. The benefits of eating salmon in most cases outweighs the risks. The USDA agrees that eating 4 ounces of wild or farmed salmon twice a week is safe and can give you the nutritional benefits of omega-3 fatty acids for heart and brain health.
How do you know if a salmon is good?
Not size or fat content. Most look for color. Since the fish is known for its distinctive pink hue (a hue often referred to as “salmon”), darker salmon sells better. 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.
How do you know if salmon is wild?
If you’re ordering it at a restaurant, you can spot wild salmon even before you taste it — because the menu will say so. “Wild caught fish are a selling point, so if the description doesn’t say wild, 9 out of 10 times it’s farm-raised,” says Miller. There are also trusted brands, such as Copper River Salmon, that you can ask for by name.