Fish lovers beware!

Farm-raised salmon is a growing item in the diet of many Americans. In the past two decades, the production of farmed salmon has increased 40 fold. However, a recent two-year-long study performed by an IU professor and six other scientists has some fish lovers thinking twice before biting into their favorite salmon entrées. The research proved that farm-raised salmon contains significantly high levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins and 11 other toxins that could potentially cause cancer. \nIU professor of public and environmental affairs Ron Hites was the lead researcher in the experiment. He and six other scientists gathered about 700 farmed and wild salmon from North America, South America and Europe. They tested five different species of salmon for 14 contaminants including PCBs, dioxins and toxaphene -- three toxins considered human carcinogens, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Hites used a gas chromatographic high-resolution spectrometry, a machine that separates organic compounds, to measure the levels of contaminants in each species.\nThe results proved that farmed salmon contain higher amounts of 13 of the 14 toxins tested compared to wild salmon. On average, farm-raised salmon have 10 times the amount of health-threatening toxins. \nHites cautioned that people should not eat more than one eight-ounce serving of farmed salmon in a month. According to the study, eating more than that could pose an "unacceptable cancer risk." It is safe, however, to eat up to eight meals of wild salmon each month.\n"It is not going to kill (consumers) tomorrow," Hites said. "No, it is going to be a much more subtle effect. If I was a young woman that was pregnant or planning on it, these toxins could have an effect on the developing fetus - a neurological effect."\nThe exact effects of the toxins, Hites said, are hard to determine because numerous other cancer-causing agents people take into their bodies, such as cigarette smoke. \nThe study showed the level of pollutants in salmon varied depending on the origin of the fish. Those from the North Atlantic Ocean near Europe proved to have the highest level of toxins while salmon from the South Pacific Ocean near Chile contained significantly lower levels of contaminants. While 90 percent of all consumed salmon in North America is farm-raised, more than half of that is imported from Chile, industry officials said.\nOne solution could be to buy salmon from countries -- such as Chile -- that produce fish with low pollutants, Hites said. However, he said without labels indicating which country the salmon comes from, the process of selecting uncontaminated salmon can prove a difficult task for consumers.\n"We want to have farmed salmon and wild salmon labeled to its county of origin," Hites said. "In Bloomington, if you ask, they will tell you it comes from Chile. We assume they are telling us the truth. We are getting the cleanest salmon out there as opposed to the northern Europeans."\nOne indication that salmon is farmed is the price. Farm-raised salmon tend to cost about three times less than wild salmon and usually contain more fat, Hites said.\n"(Farmed salmon) don't get any exercise," Hites said. "They are just kept in giant pens."\nDuring the studies, Hites said they linked the cause of the contaminants to the food or "salmon chow" that farmers use. Salmon are carnivores and eat other fish. The chow consists of ground up oceanic fish such as herring and mackerel. As a general rule, meat-eaters tend to have higher levels of toxins in their bodies than herbivores. However, the situation is worsened in the case of farmed salmon. Pollutants from the air settle in the ocean and infect the fish which farmers later feed to the salmon on farms. \nAs a result of the study, producers of salmon chow are now working with products such as soy to create a food mixture less toxic.\nAlthough the existence of these toxins is indisputable, health organization such as the Food and Drug Administration do not want consumers to underestimate the health value of the Omega-3 fatty acids also found in salmon, substances which help prevent heart disease. \nMeanwhile, the results of the $2.4 million study, sponsored by the Pew Charitable Trusts' Environmental Division, were published in the August issue of Environmental Science and Technology. Since then, the study has gained enough publicity to have a parody broadcasted over National Public Radio (NPR). Actor and satirist Harry Shearer created a bit called, "Sammy the flame-resistant salmon," in which he explain his humorous idea for a new marketing plan for these toxic fish. \nHites said he was excited to have his research recognized on NPR, although he does not want to downplay the possibly dangerous side affects these toxins could have in the future for regular salmon eaters. However, despite the risks, Hites said even he still enjoys turning towards salmon for an occasional meal.\n"People always ask me if I am still going to eat salmon," Hites said. "I was just in New York this weekend. I had a lovely serving of smoked salmon with capers and onions. It was delicious." \n-- Contact staff writer Katie O'Keefe at kjokeefe@indiana.edu.