There have been a number of media stories raising serious concerns regarding farmed salmon versus wild salmon. It is critical that consumers be made aware of the issues being discussed...

What are PCBs?

"PCB" stands for "polychlorinated biphenyls".   PCBs are man-made chemical pollutants produced between the 1930s and the 1970s for a variety of industrial purposes.   However, PCBs linger and may still be released into the environment during the disposal of materials and obsolete equipment.

Which foods contain PCBs?  

PCBs are detectable in almost all types of foods and are present in some foods more than others.   About 80% of exposure to PCBs comes from foods of animal origin - meat, eggs, milk and fish.   PCBs get concentrated in the fatty tissues of beef and dairy cattle, poultry, pork, fish and seafood.   Minute traces of PCBs occur in both wild and farmed salmon, but there is no pattern of one being higher than the other. Most important, the levels of PCBs in both wild and farmed fish are far below levels considered harmful by health authorities, ranging between 1-3% of the maximum tolerable levels. The positive benefits of eating fish, both wild and farmed, far outweigh any perceived risk from environmental contaminants.

For more information please visit http://www.farmfreshsalmon.org/mythvsfact.cfm?aid=46

According to the FDA, removing the skin prior to cooking removes a significant amount of the contaminants that are stored in the fat.