Which is Better? Farm Raised Salmon or Wild Salmon

A question arose in the supermarket the other day, which is better, Farm Raised Salmon or Wild Salmon? Clearing salmon is good for you as it contains Omega-3 (n-3 polyunsaturated) fatty acids, but have heard news reports about problems with PCBs in fish.

Farm raised salmon has been shown to have elevated levels of PCBs in a 2003 study the independent Environmental Working Group.

“A study by the Environmental Working Group of Washington, D.C., a nonprofit public interest watchdog, reported last summer that farmed salmon were the most likely PCB-contaminated protein source in the national food supply, with a PCB content 16 times higher than that found in wild salmon and four times higher than the levels in beef. Industry groups criticized the findings, which were based on a sample of 10 store-bought fish in Washington, D.C., San Francisco, and Portland, Ore. Last week, a study of 700 salmon found that the level of PCBs in fillets taken from farmed salmon were seven times as high as levels in fillets taken from wild salmon.”

Their recommendations are:

1) To reduce your exposure to PCBs, trim fat from fish before cooking.

2) Choose broiling, baking, or grilling over frying, as these cooking methods allow the PCB-laden fat to cook off the fish.

3) When possible, choose wild and canned Alaskan salmon instead of farmed, and eat farmed salmon no more than once a month.

Be sure to read our article on choosing Sustainable Seafood

Related posts:

1. Easy Vegetable Gardens – Farm in a box
2. Seafood Mercury levels and Sustainable Seafood Guide
3. Egg Recall – Egg Farm Practices and Organic Eggs
4. Bottled Water Toxicity and Money Waste
5. BBQ Grill Food Safety
6. BPA in Canned and Packaged Foods
7. Ways to Save Money and be green
8. Eco Friendly Green Pans and Green Cookware

Posted on August 17th, 2011
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