Does farmed salmon contain PCBs, dioxins and other harmful substances?
All food, including beef, chicken, seafood, grains and vegetables, contains trace levels of persistent organic chemicals such as PCBs. This is because these chemicals are ever-present in the environment in minute quantities due to human use of these chemicals over many decades. These types of persistent environmental pollutants can bio-accumulate through the food chain. Animal flesh with a higher fat content tends to store higher levels of these substances. Fish feed companies monitor the feed ingredients to ensure they do not contain unacceptable levels of dioxins or other contaminants. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) samples fish to monitor for a wide range of environmental and industrial contaminants including mercury, toxic elements, PCB’s, DDT, pesticides and dioxins in order to verify that they do not exceed the Canadian guidelines for chemical contaminants and toxins. Health professionals agree that the health benefits of eating fish far outweigh any potential health
