Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Whole Foods Sells colored Farm-Raised Salmon
In case you hadn't heard, over the last few years there's been some uproar about certain farm-raised fish, like salmon, getting fed chemicals to force a more robust ruddy color to them. Seems that wild salmon favor certain foods that help create this color. The farms have to supplement their feed to get the same red to the flesh and not, well, a dispiriting gray. There have even been some class action suits that, in part, were trying to force supermarkets to 'fess up.
Imagine my surprise recently when walking through a Whole Foods Market in western Massachusetts, looking at the fish, and noticing that the tags mentioned the presence of dye. Sure, it's nice to be told ahead of time, particularly when the dye can make you think you're getting the superior-tasting wild variety rather than farm breed, as some have pointed out.
The irony in this case are the Whole Foods product quality standards. Specifically they state, "We carry natural and organic products because we believe that food in its purest state — unadulterated by artificial additives, sweeteners, colorings, and preservatives — is the best tasting and most nutritious food available." They also add, "We feature foods that are free of artificial preservatives, colors, flavors, sweeteners, and hydrogenated fats." Go to the company's page about its seafood and you see this: "On any given day, you will find a stunning selection of both familiar and specialty fish and shellfish. From Alaska to Iceland, we offer the season's best, ranging from wild striped bass to soft shell crabs and wild Alaskan salmon."
Or less wild varieties. Maybe they think that dye from natural sources makes it ok. I had a brief email exchange with one of the company's PR people this morning, but haven't received a reply on my question about this since around 10 this morning. Ah, well, guess they're busy with other things.
Imagine my surprise recently when walking through a Whole Foods Market in western Massachusetts, looking at the fish, and noticing that the tags mentioned the presence of dye. Sure, it's nice to be told ahead of time, particularly when the dye can make you think you're getting the superior-tasting wild variety rather than farm breed, as some have pointed out.
The irony in this case are the Whole Foods product quality standards. Specifically they state, "We carry natural and organic products because we believe that food in its purest state — unadulterated by artificial additives, sweeteners, colorings, and preservatives — is the best tasting and most nutritious food available." They also add, "We feature foods that are free of artificial preservatives, colors, flavors, sweeteners, and hydrogenated fats." Go to the company's page about its seafood and you see this: "On any given day, you will find a stunning selection of both familiar and specialty fish and shellfish. From Alaska to Iceland, we offer the season's best, ranging from wild striped bass to soft shell crabs and wild Alaskan salmon."
Or less wild varieties. Maybe they think that dye from natural sources makes it ok. I had a brief email exchange with one of the company's PR people this morning, but haven't received a reply on my question about this since around 10 this morning. Ah, well, guess they're busy with other things.
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I remember a few years ago being at a rather nice restaurant and a woman at the next table made a major fuss. She had ordered salmon, and the fish was barely pink. "But this can't be salmon!" she complained at the top of her voice. No matter how much the owner of the restaurant tried to assure her that, yes, it was wild salmon, direct from Alaska, she wouldn't be convinced, because it wasn't bright red. Some people would rather have garish window dressing than good taste or pure food.
I trust the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch list (see http://www.mbayaq.org/cr/seafoodwatch.asp) and buy accordingly, at Whole Foods and elsewhere.
There are several species of wild salmon from Alaska, caught at different times of the season, caught by different types of boats and some redder than others. I'll accept a little bit of dye rather than farm-raised salmon. Salmon farming has had a poor track record, infecting wild fish that swim by the ocean "farms."
Interestingly, the Boulder, CO, Whole Foods is now selling Chilean sea bass. What a shocker. I asked the fish guy, who said that Whole foods had found some sustainable fisheries. I wasn't sure about that and checked it out on Seafood Watch, and they still list it on their "Avoid" list -- so I did. Seeing that at Whole Foods shocked nme as much as the dyued salmon did you.
There are several species of wild salmon from Alaska, caught at different times of the season, caught by different types of boats and some redder than others. I'll accept a little bit of dye rather than farm-raised salmon. Salmon farming has had a poor track record, infecting wild fish that swim by the ocean "farms."
Interestingly, the Boulder, CO, Whole Foods is now selling Chilean sea bass. What a shocker. I asked the fish guy, who said that Whole foods had found some sustainable fisheries. I wasn't sure about that and checked it out on Seafood Watch, and they still list it on their "Avoid" list -- so I did. Seeing that at Whole Foods shocked nme as much as the dyued salmon did you.
It is my opinion that salmon has become the chicken of the water. It is basically manufactured much what has happened to chicken.
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