Bill's Comment Page

Salmon consumption - the pros and cons

I eat quite a lot of salmon, generally three or so times a week. I love it. Since starting on the 'Atkins' diet about 7 months ago, though, my consumption of it has become much more regular - usually sauteed fillets, but quite often smoked salmon, too. However the recent controversy caused by publication of a report alleging that Scottish farmed salmon, in particular, may have unacceptably high levels of toxic contaminants (from the fish-meal on which they are fed) has certainly caused me to wonder whether I should cut back a little. This Economist article is pretty balanced on the matter, as you would expect from this magazine (may not be available yet to non-subscribers).

I just hope that it will not be reported that fresh tuna (I had a tuna steak for dinner this evening) or swordfish, both of which I like a lot as well, will not become similarly suspect. Meantime, I will be continuing to eat fish of various kinds, including salmon. And beef, chicken and pork, too ....