How do you choose salmon when buying it? Does a bright orange-red color look more appetizing? However, due to differences in their diet, wild and farmed salmon actually have different flesh colors. Some vendors dye the salmon to enhance its appearance. So, how do you choose and distinguish salmon fillets?

Why is salmon orange-red?

Salmon is a deep-sea fish. The world’s largest sources of wild salmon are Norway in the North Atlantic and Alaska in the North Pacific.

What color is wild salmon meat?

We generally associate salmon with an “orange-red” color. The reason salmon has an orange-red color is actually related to its diet. Salmon primarily consume shrimp and seaweed. These crustaceans, such as shrimp and krill, contain the carotenoid astaxanthin.

After salmon ingests astaxanthin, it accumulates in its flesh, giving it a natural orange-red hue. The color of the salmon’s flesh varies from deep red to orange-red, depending on the amount of astaxanthin consumed.

However, wild salmon are no longer sufficient to supply all markets. Nowadays, most salmon is farmed in major producing areas and then supplied to various countries.

Color influences consumer preferences between wild and farmed salmon.

So, does farmed salmon have a different flesh color?

Due to the feeding environment, large numbers of farmed salmon, and the feed they consume, farmed salmon don’t naturally consume enough shrimp, seaweed, and other organisms. Therefore, their flesh may not possess the beautiful deep orange-red color of wild salmon. Normally, the flesh is slightly grayish-orange with a whitish hue.

However, salmon color influences market consumption, with consumers generally preferring redder, more orange-red salmon. According to a 2017 report in Time, DMS, a leading salmon feed supplier, conducted a study showing that consumers were willing to pay an extra dollar per pound for darker salmon compared to lighter-colored salmon.

Are there any concerns about adding astaxanthin to farmed salmon feed?

Lack of color doesn’t attract consumers, forcing farmed salmon producers to adjust their feed. These producers typically add natural astaxanthin or carotenoids to the feed, but they may also use synthetic astaxanthin to enhance the salmon’s color.

Take Norwegian salmon farming as an example. According to the Norwegian Seafood Council, farmed salmon feed primarily consists of vegetables, fish oil, and fishmeal, with additional astaxanthin and other antioxidants added to supplement the diet.

The Salmon Fact website also points out that the vegetable ingredients in salmon feed are composed of soybeans, corn, and sunflower, while fish meal is made from parts like fish heads and contains astaxanthin for color enhancement, which also helps salmon tissues protect.

In terms of aquaculture, salmon farmers and feed suppliers use salmon flesh color charts designed for different shades of salmon color to help them select appropriate feed and assess whether they can produce salmon with the desired flesh color.

As for animal feed additives, if the ingredients and dosages are within the legal regulations of each country, there is no problem. However, there may be concerns about the use of illegal chemical dyes for color enhancement or excessive dosages. These require careful management by farmers and government agencies. For consumers, to avoid concerns, carefully selecting the source of the salmon and the vendor before purchasing is a key principle.

Concerned about salmon being dyed? How to Choose Based on These Five Factors

Regarding online reports that unscrupulous businesses are painting salmon fillets with food coloring to create a beautiful salmon color, how can you choose salmon if you’re worried about coloring?

When choosing salmon, observe these five factors:

1. Observe the color of the fish: Salmon should not be an overly bright, unnatural orange-red. Observe whether the color is natural.
2. Touch the fish to see if it’s colored: If it’s colored, check your hands for any residual color or other pigments, or any unusual odors.
3. Feel the flesh to see if it’s springy: Fresher salmon has a springy texture, which can indicate whether it’s been stored too long or repeatedly thawed.
4. Choose from a store: Choose a fishmonger or manufacturer you trust.
5. Refer to relevant fishery product labels: For example, international aquaculture certification (ASC), based on the international standard for sustainable aquaculture, indicates that its farming methods and practices meet production and marketing standards, which can be used as a reference.