5 Salmon Myths Seafood Experts Wish Everyone Would Stop Believing

Seafood consumption in the US is at an all-time high, with salmon being the most consumed fish, according to the US Department of Agriculture. It’s easy to see why salmon is so popular: A staple of the Mediterranean diet, it’s packed with nutrients, including omega-3 fatty acids (which are good for your heart, brain and skin), protein and vitamin D.Despite its popularity, seafood experts we talked to say that there are still some common misconceptions about salmon that simply aren’t true. Here, grocery store seafood buyers, as well as seafood science professors, dispel the most popular myths about salmon and give their tips on what to keep in mind when you’re shopping.Myth #1: Fresh is better than frozenWhen it comes to buying salmon, the first decision you have to make is whether you’re heading to the seafood counter or the frozen section. Jason Hedlund, the principal category merchant of seafood procurement at Whole Foods Market, shared that fresh salmon isn’t more nutrient-dense — or even necessarily tastier — than frozen salmon. If you’re going to eat your salmon relatively quickly (within the next two days), Hedlund says fresh salmon is a good bet. But if you want salmon to keep on hand and you’re not sure when you’re going to eat it, go for frozen. He added that many people don’t realize that salmon is frozen mere hours after being caught, which locks in all the nutrient density and flavour. Mark Lang, a food marketing professor at the University of Tampa who is passionate about aquaculture, said this too. “Salmon is frozen so quickly [after being caught] that it may be the freshest option to eat,” he told HuffPost, adding that it’s frozen right at the source where it’s caught. If you want to eat salmon more often because of its health benefits, Lang recommends buying it frozen so you can thaw it the day before you’re ready to cook it.Myth #2: Farm-raised salmon isn’t as good as wild-caughtEvery seafood expert we talked to said that farm-raised salmon tends to get a bad rap, and it’s completely unwarranted. “Without responsible farming methods, there wouldn’t be enough salmon to meet the demands of consumers,” said Mark LaMonaco, the seafood category merchant at Wegmans Food Markets. “Without farmed salmon, we wouldn’t have enough to feed the world. Just like we farm chicken, beef and pork, salmon farming is necessary to support global demand and helps protect wild populations from overfishing,” added Doug Varanai, the senior manager of seafood at Sprouts Farmers Market. Experts say that the nutrient density of farmed salmon and wild-caught salmon is similar, but they do say there is a slight difference in taste.Lang explained that the stigma surrounding farmed salmon goes back to the ’70s, when there were few regulations around salmon-farming practices, which led to salmon being farmed in dirty, overcrowded water. But he emphasised that times have changed.“Most grocery retailers rely on certification companies with auditors on the ground inspecting the fish farms. They do inspections, test the water and test the fish. If you break the rules, you lose your certification,” Lang explained. If you want to educate yourself on the conditions of farmed salmon available at your preferred grocery retailer, Lang recommends searching for the regulations they follow on their website. (Here’s where you can find the details on farmed fish practices for Whole Foods, Sprouts and Wegmans.) All of the experts say that the nutrient density of farmed salmon and wild-caught salmon is similar, but they do say there is a slight difference in taste. “Wild salmon often has a firmer texture, leaner flesh and a more intense, ‘oceanic flavor’ due to natural diets. Farmed salmon tends to be milder, fattier and softer in texture, with flavour influenced by feed formulations,” said Alexander Chouljenko, an assistant professor of seafood science at North Carolina State University. “Some people prefer the richness of farmed; others prefer the complexity of wild. Blind taste tests show people’s preferences can be split, often depending on cooking method and seasoning,” he added.Myth #3: Farmed salmon is full of antibioticsIf you’ve been avoiding farmed salmon because you believe it’s full of antibiotics, the experts say you can rest assured that it isn’t something you need to obsess over. “In the US, Canada, Norway and many well-regulated countries, antibiotics are rarely used, and if they are, they are under strict veterinary oversight with mandatory withdrawal periods before harvest,” Chouljenko said. That said, Chouljenko explained that in some countries with weaker regulations, overusing antibiotics in farmed fish has been documented, raising both health and environmental concerns. To avoid this, he recommends looking for salmon labeled with certifications like ASC (Aquaculture Stewardship Council) or BAP (Best Aquaculture Practices). Again, this is also where checking out the standard of your preferred retailer comes in handy. “At Sprouts, all the farm-raised fish in our responsibly sourced program are BAP 3-star or higher certified, which ensures they are raised without the routine use of antibiotics. While antibiotics may be used in some unregulated countries, we prioritise sourcing from certified farms to ensure safety, quality and sustainability,” Varanai told HuffPost. Myth #4: Salmon is high in mercuryPSA: Salmon is not high in mercury and is safe to eat regularly. “The health benefits of eating salmon far outweigh any concerns about mercury,” Varanai said. He explained that its short lifespan and position low on the food chain means it doesn’t accumulate much mercury, making it a healthy and safe choice for most people, including children and pregnant women.“When we think about fish with high mercury levels, we have to understand how mercury accumulates in seafood. There are two major contributing factors: time and diet,” LaMonaco told HuffPost. He explained that the higher up a fish is on the food chain, the more mercury it may contain because of the mercury found in its diet. Similarly, he said that the longer a fish lives, the more it eats over its lifetime and could raise the overall levels. “From beginning to end, a salmon’s life cycle is typically three to five years and isn’t enough time to accumulate levels of mercury that should be a cause for concern,” LaMonaco said.Myth #5: Salmon’s colour can tell you how fresh it isAccording to the experts, while a salmon’s colour is important, a vibrant colour isn’t always an indicator of freshness. “Some salmon, especially farmed, get colour from astaxanthin in feed, so vibrant colour doesn’t automatically mean fresher or less fresh,” Choujenko said. LaMonaco explained that astaxanthin is the dietary supplement added to the feed for farmed fish, which can also be found in wild salmon’s natural diet, typically found in krill and other sources. “Astaxanthin is also a popular supplement for humans, often used as an antioxidant with various potential benefits,” he added. When buying fresh salmon, Choujenko recommends checking the smell (it should be mild, not fishy), texture (firm, not mushy) and appearance (moist, not dry or discoloured with unusual spots, dull patches, browning or gray areas).If the head is still on the salmon, Lang recommends checking out the eyes. “They should be clear. That means it hasn’t been out of the water for very long. If the eyes are cloudy, it’s been in the food supply chain for a while,” he said.With these myths dispelled, you can shop for salmon confidently, whether you’re getting it fresh or frozen. And if you have any questions about it, ask the experts behind the seafood counter. After all, they have a front-row seat to the best options available and can even offer up some cooking tips.Related...Food Sequencing: Why The First (And Last) Thing You Eat At Dinner Matters3 Longevity Myths An Expert Wants Us To IgnoreFood Influencers Are Making Uncomfortable Eye Contact With You – And They're Doing It On Purpose

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