The Reasons Behind Color Added to Farmed Salmon

We’re big fans of salmon around here. Besides being very good for you, it’s also one of the most versatile and tasty fish in the ocean. But buying salmon can be a bit tricky. Should you always buy wild-caught salmon, or is farmed salmon fine too? Which is better: fresh or frozen? And what about the color of the salmon? Should you be worried if the package says “color added”?

As a seafood lover, I’ve often wondered why farmed salmon has color added to it. The vibrant pink flesh of wild salmon is one of the defining traits that draws me to it. But when picking up salmon at the grocery store, you’ll notice the labels on farmed salmon state “color added.” Why is this the case and what does it mean?

The Natural Salmon Color Difference

Wild salmon get their unique orange-pink color from eating krill, shrimp, and other small shellfish that have natural carotenoids, which are reddish-orange pigments. The most prevalent is astaxanthin. On the other hand, farmed salmon are fed processed high-protein pellets that don’t have any of these colorful marine sources. Without supplements, farmed salmon would have grayish flesh instead of the tasty pink flesh that people expect.

To bridge this color gap, salmon farmers add synthetic or algae-derived astaxanthin to their feeds. This provides the fish with the same benefits as their wild counterparts. Let’s look closer at why color is added and how it impacts you as a consumer.

Why Astaxanthin is Added to Farmed Salmon Feed

There are two primary reasons salmon farmers supplement feed with astaxanthin:

Consumer perception – Shoppers expect salmon to have that iconic orange-pink tone. Grayish fillets are perceived as unappetizing and inferior. Added color meets consumer expectations.
Salmon health – Astaxanthin provides essential antioxidants and vitamins for growth and survival The compound is as vital to salmon as omega-3s and protein Feeds fortified with astaxanthin raise healthier fish,

Though originally intended to please consumers, astaxanthin offers real nutritional value Still, the motivations are often more economic than health oriented

Does Added Color Impact Nutrition and Safety?

There are no nutritional differences between naturally pink wild salmon and farmed salmon with feed-added astaxanthin. Both provide the same antioxidants, omega-3s, protein, vitamins, and minerals.

The FDA and other food authorities confirm added astaxanthin has no impact on salmon nutrition and is safe for human consumption. The coloring has been approved for use since the 1970s.

Some key things to know:

Synthetic astaxanthin is chemically identical to natural forms.
Feeds use the same amounts that wild salmon would normally eat.
Independent studies show astaxanthin boosts salmon growth and immunity.

So while the “color added” label sounds off-putting, it does not affect nutritional quality or safety.

Environmental Impacts of Farmed Salmon Production

While not a health concern, farmed salmon does come with notable environmental impacts. Some issues to consider:

Fish feed requirements – It takes 4-5 lbs of smaller fish to produce 1 lb of farmed salmon, putting pressure on global fisheries.
Waste and pollution – Salmon pens allow waste, chemicals, parasites, and excess food to leach into ocean habitats.
Escaped fish – Farmed salmon escapes impact genetics of wild stocks and spread disease.

For these reasons, eco-conscious seafood lovers may prefer sustainable wild salmon. But from a pure health perspective, added astaxanthin is not harmful.

Does Color Impact Flavor and Texture?

Research shows salmon color has no effect on flavor or texture – it is purely aesthetic. However, many consumers continue to believe deeply-hued salmon tastes better. Retail costs reflect this perception.

Wild salmon costs 2-3X more than farmed per pound.
Light pink farmed fillets retail for $1 less than bright orange varieties.
Bellies and other fattier portions fetch higher prices for their richer color.

While personal preference plays a role, this price discrepancy is driven more by psychological factors than actual eating quality.

Why Some Prefer Wild Salmon Over Farmed

Apart from environmental concerns, consumers choose wild salmon over farmed for a few key reasons:

Natural diet – Wild salmon eat the diet nature intended which affects nutrient density.
Superior flavor – The natural diet also gives wild salmon a richer, fuller taste profile.
Texture – Exercise swimming in open water makes wild salmon flesh firmer.
Sustainability – Wild fisheries have less environmental impact when well-managed.

However, prices often limit how much wild salmon consumers purchase. Families may opt for a cheaper farmed fillet with added astaxanthin to stay within budget. For them, the color addition itself is not a dealbreaker.

Does Added Astaxanthin Need to Be Disclosed?

In the U.S., farmed salmon producers are required by law to disclose the use of added coloring. Labels must state color has been added through feed or other means. This allows consumers to make informed decisions.

However, Canada and some other countries do not require this disclosure. Keep an eye for “color added” indications when shopping for salmon regardless of origin.

The Takeaway on Added Color in Farmed Salmon

While a marketer’s tactic, adding astaxanthin to farmed salmon feed offers health benefits that would naturally occur in the wild. The pigment itself does not impact nutrition, flavor, or safety. Yet environmental and sustainability concerns give many diners pause.

Understanding why color is added removes some of the uncertainty around farmed salmon. You can then decide which factors are most important for your seafood purchases. When well-managed, both wild and farmed salmon can provide healthy, delicious, and ethical options.

why do they add color to salmon

Fresh vs. Frozen Salmon

It’s gotta be fresh, right? Again, not always. It might seem counterintuitive, but sometimes frozen is actually fresher. Stay with us. So-called “fresh” fish, i. e. Things you buy at the fish counter may have been frozen before they were defrosted and put out in the store. Meanwhile, “frozen” fish may have been frozen when it was super-fresh, making it, in fact, a better choice.

The takeaway: Talk to your fish monger! It doesn’t hurt to ask whether the salmon was previously frozen. If the answer is yes, you’ll probably find fresher (and cheaper) fish in the freezer aisle.

Wild vs. Farmed Salmon

Wild-caught is generally, but not always, better than farmed. A 2004 study found that PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls, concentrated in oils and fats), dioxins, and chlorinated pesticides in farmed salmon were more than 7 times that in wild salmon. The contaminants are thought to come partly from the fish’s feed: protein pellets made of fish and fish oil, which can build up toxins in the fish’s flesh. Also, tight pens can breed disease, necessitating antibiotics, and the pens are sometimes treated with pesticides against sea lice. All these additions can ultimately be transferred to your plate.

But not all farmed salmon are created equal — and a lot has changed since 2004. Salmon that is raised organically has to follow stricter rules when making its food, like not using pesticides and not adding canthaxanthin (more on that below).

The takeaway: To keep your plate clean, consider saving your dollars for a little bit of wild salmon. If you do choose to eat farmed, go organic or know the source.

Why The U.S. Government Decides The Color Of Our Food – Cheddar Explains

FAQ

Is it safe to eat salmon with color added?

These claims are utterly false and perpetuate a myth that can confuse or scare salmon consumers. The truth is that the colour of salmon fillets is red due to naturally occurring molecules called carotenoids, such as astaxanthin. This is part of a natural diet of wild salmon, and is added to the food for farmed salmon.

Why is salmon artificially colored?

Astaxanthin is added to the food of farmed salmon because they need these nutrients but can’t hunt krill and shrimp like wild salmon do. It’s part of the process of raising healthy salmon.

Why is wild caught salmon more red?

The flesh of salmon in the wild can be vibrant red, pale pink, or even white. The red hues are the result of diets rich in shrimp, krill, and other species that contain high levels of astaxanthin. A wild-caught salmon with white flesh is genetically unable to process the astaxanthin, so their flesh remains pale.

Does all Atlantic salmon have color added?

The answer you’ve been waiting for: yes, it is. That vibrant pink hue that you look for in Atlantic salmon is just a byproduct of supplements that are added to the fish feed to mimic the natural food that wild salmon eat. So, yes, that Atlantic salmon you toss into your grocery cart was originally a milky gray color.

Why is salmon color added?

It’s beneficial not just for the salmon’s health but also for human consumption. The label “color added” on salmon products is a regulatory requirement designed to inform consumers about the added components in the salmon’s food, specifically, astaxanthin.

What are the benefits of smoked salmon over raw salmon?

It actually has the same characteristics as raw salmon, being relatively low in calories, it is an excellent source of protein, good fat and several vitamins and minerals. The smoking process just adds an aroma.

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.

Why does salmon have a different flesh colour?

While the flesh colour is a direct result of carotenoids in their diet, there is also a unique genetic component. The gene beta-carotene oxygenase 1 is responsible for carotenoid metabolism, and most likely explains flesh colour variation in salmon. Carotenoids, including astaxanthin, can be manufactured and added to the diet of farmed salmon.