Salmon is prized around the world for its beautiful orange-pink color. This striking hue is integral to salmon’s identity as a food. But contrary to popular belief the natural color of salmon flesh is not actually pink or orange. So where does salmon get its trademark coloration?
The natural color of salmon flesh varies from almost white to light orange, depending on their levels of the carotenoid astaxanthin. This pigment absorbed from the salmon’s diet is responsible for giving salmon its distinctive color.
Why Do People Think Salmon is Naturally Pink?
Walk down the fish aisle at any grocery store and you’ll see that farm-raised salmon have the same bright peach and orange hues as wild salmon. This consistency leads many people to assume that the color is inherent to salmon, no matter how they are raised.
In reality, farmed salmon get their coloration through controlled feed that is enhanced with astaxanthin supplements. Without this additive, farmed salmon would be pale gray or white.
This misconception that all salmon is naturally pink persists because:
- Wild and farmed salmon look similar when artificially colored
- The color difference of unenhanced salmon is unfamiliar
- Myths about salmon farming add misinformation
- Vivid color is associated with higher quality
So while the color may appear natural, salmon raised in captivity need coloring agents to achieve the expected salmon hue.
The Science Behind Salmon Color
In the wild, salmon get their range of shades from natural carotenoid pigments in their diet. Astaxanthin, the key pigment, is produced by algae and plankton. When salmon eat crustaceans like krill and shrimp that have fed on astaxanthin-rich microorganisms, they accumulate the pigment in their muscles.
Astaxanthin is a member of the carotenoid family that also gives color to lobsters, crabs, shrimp and flamingos. It belongs to a class of antioxidants called xanthophylls.
Salmon lack the biological capacity to synthesize carotenoids like astaxanthin. They must obtain it through their prey. The more astaxanthin-containing plants and animals a salmon eats, the redder its flesh becomes.
Wild salmon species have differing ratios of astaxanthin in their bodies based on their diets. For example:
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Sockeye salmon eat more zooplankton and krill, giving them a deeper red color.
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Chinook salmon eat more fish and have lighter pink or orange flesh.
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Coho salmon switch from zooplankton to fish as they mature, so they are less vibrantly colored.
Without astaxanthin from their diet, salmon would be a pale grayish white, which consumers perceive as unappetizing.
How Do Farms Get Salmon to the Right Color?
In captivity, farmed salmon don’t have access to the astaxanthin-rich diet of wild salmon. Instead salmon farms have to artificially supplement their food with astaxanthin and other carotenoids to pigment their flesh.
The levels of astaxanthin can be carefully calibrated to produce salmon fillets with the exact hue that shoppers expect. To help farmers hit the right color, some feed suppliers even provide a SalmoFan color guide!
The astaxanthin for farm-raised salmon primarily comes from synthetically produced sources or yeast rather than from krill and algae. But it provides an equivalent coloring effect as natural astaxanthin.
This supplementation makes the salmon healthier as well. Astaxanthin is a powerful antioxidant that boosts salmon growth and enhances their immune system. The pigment helps defend against disease in crowded farm environments.
Though originally added just for color, astaxanthin offers many health benefits for salmon and humans that eat them. So coloring agents in farmed salmon feed serve multiple purposes.
The Takeaway: Don’t Judge a Salmon by its Color
While color adds to salmon’s appeal, it has no bearing on its nutritional value, quality or taste. As we’ve learned, color merely indicates astaxanthin levels, not whether a salmon is wild or farmed.
Some people mistakenly believe that deep red salmon is healthier. But lighter salmon may have lower astaxanthin simply due to their natural diet. Bright color does not necessarily equate to superior salmon.
The myth that farmed salmon are dyed likely persists because theirfeeds are enhanced to achieve the quintessential salmon hue. However, the pigments used are natural astaxanthins, just like those found in wild salmon diets.
So next time you browse salmon fillets, don’t be fooled by color alone. The science shows that salmon’s rosy tones come from astaxanthin, regardless of its source. With wild and farmed salmon looking equally pink, evaluating sustainability certifications is a better way to shop responsibly.
Are farmed salmon grey?
So we now know that astaxanthin is the reason for salmon’s beautiful colour. Without this plant pigment, these predatory fish would be white or grey.
In the wild, salmon consumes this pigment naturally from the food it eats. Farmers need to provide farm raised salmon with the same nutrients they would get in the wild. It wouldn’t be healthy for the fish to be given the wrong food. That’s why astaxanthin is added to the food of farmed salmon. You can find out more here about how farmed fish can be fed responsibly.
Astaxanthin is an antioxidant that protects algae against stress, such as from strong sunlight or lack of nutrients. Animals that eat those algae consequently ingest this pigment. It’s part of a group of chemicals called carotenoids, which are also found in carrots and tomatoes. It’s not just good for salmon, but also for humans.
Antioxidants neutralise unstable molecules (free radicals) and prevent oxidation in the cell. Do you want to try a little experiment to observe how antioxidants work? Cut open an apple. The oxidation caused by the oxygen-rich air quickly turns the apple brown. However, if you squeeze lemon juice onto the cut sides of the apple, they retain their fresh colour. This is because the vitamin C in lemon juice is also an antioxidant.
Lemon juice is an antioxidant that can stop a sliced apple turning brown.
Why ASC?We set the standard for seafood. If you see the ASC label on pack, you can be sure that your seafood was farmed with care.
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FAQ
What is the natural color of salmon?
Natural salmon color tends to be more varied and less uniform, with hues ranging from deep reds to lighter pinks depending on the species and diet.Aug 5, 2024
Is all salmon artificially colored?
These claims are utterly false and perpetuate a myth that can confuse or scare salmon consumers. The truth is that the colour of salmon fillets is red due to naturally occurring molecules called carotenoids, such as astaxanthin.Mar 21, 2023
What color is salmon normally?
The real color of salmon is the silver, pink, green, gray, black, and blue of their scales when they are swimming in the bodies of water that provide them with their natural habitats. The real color of their flesh can fall within a wide range, from white to pink to orange or even a rich, bright red.Nov 25, 2022
What does real wild salmon look like?
Varieties like coho, sockeye, or king salmon are wild-caught and are naturally a darker, pinkish-orange color.
How does salmon get its color?
The wild salmon, known for its rich flavor and firm texture, gets its color from the food it eats, such as krill and shrimp, which contain a pigment called astaxanthin. This pigment is what gives salmon its distinctive pink, orange, or red color.
What color is Pacific salmon?
Pacific salmon is generally a deep pinkish-red color and is found in the wild. U.S. Atlantic salmon is always farm-raised. Salmon gets its pink color from a pigment called astaxanthin. For wild salmon, it’s found in the krill, algae, and other small fish it feeds upon out in the wild.
What color is farm-raised salmon?
But for farm-raised salmon, which makes up 70 percent of the market, color has nothing to do with quality. Farm-raised salmon is naturally gray; the pink color is added. Wild salmon is naturally pink due to their diet which includes astaxanthin, a reddish-orange compound found in krill and shrimp.
How do salmon get pink & red color?
Salmon get their pink or red hue primarily from carotenoids, especially astaxanthin, which are pigments found in their food [*]. Wild salmon obtain these pigments from eating krill, shrimp, and other small crustaceans rich in astaxanthin. This natural diet results in vibrant colors that vary slightly based on what the salmon eat.
What color salmon sells better?
Since the fish is known for its distinctive pink hue (a hue often referred to as “salmon”), darker salmon sells better. But for farm-raised salmon, which makes up 70 percent of the market, color has nothing to do with quality. Farm-raised salmon is naturally gray; the pink color is added.
Why is salmon orange?
Salmon is orange, pink or even red for the same exact reason: they consume carotenoids, an antixodant that gives salmon its color. In the wild, salmon regularly consume a diet rich in a caratenoid called astaxanthin, and the natural color of salmon flesh reflects this. Farmed salmon, in contrast, get their carotenoids from manmade pellets.