Scottish Quality Salmon welcomes FSA advice that everyone should eat more oil-rich fish

The Food Standards Agency’s recommendation that all groups of consumers should be eating more oil-rich fish has been warmly welcomed by Scottish Quality Salmon.
“Despite some of the extraordinarily inaccurate media coverage this morning which attempted to denigrate oil-rich fish including farmed salmon before the scientific report was even published, we are pleased that the FSA has confirmed the valuable benefits of eating oil-rich fish like salmon.” commented Scottish Quality Salmon chief executive Brian Simpson.

“We have long maintained that the known health benefits of regular salmon consumption far outweigh any potential risk. This authoritative report has demonstrated that all groups of consumers in the UK should be eating oil-rich fish more often to get the benefits of its high Omega-3 essential fatty acid content, such as prevention of coronary heart disease and for babies development. There is no more pleasant way to do this than by eating Scottish farmed salmon,”

He added: “This is a vindication of our robust positive stance earlier in the year when faced with spurious criticism from anti fish-farming campaigners who showed no qualms about misusing scientific data to mislead the public about farmed salmon. Scottish farmed salmon is unequivocally good for you. Eating two portions a week is good for everyone. Eating four portions a week is even better for boys, men and older women.”

The health benefits of regular consumption are many and proven. The sad fact is that at the moment, two-thirds of the UK population doesn’t eat oil-rich fish at all. “Our message is clear: if you don’t at the moment, start eating oil-rich fish. If you do, you can probably eat more. Choose salmon because it’s the nicest way to do it. And choose Scottish Quality Salmon because we have the best independently inspected quality assurance scheme in the world, guaranteeing the quality of what’s on your plate.”

Notes for editors:

The FSA report is by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition and the Committee on Toxicity on the benefits and risks of oily fish consumption.

For more information about the health benefits of eating salmon and details of our quality assurance schemes click on www.scottishsalmon.co.uk

Scottish Quality Salmon is dedicated to improving the quality and sustainability of salmon farming in Scotland – throughout the whole production chain. Members are independently audited to international quality standards.

Scottish Quality Salmon, whose members include feed suppliers, has already taken steps to maximise levels of beneficial omega-3 essential fatty acids and minimise PCB and dioxin levels further by a variety of techniques.

Scottish Quality Salmon was the first fish and first non-French food to obtain the prestigious quality award, Label Rouge, from the French Government.

Ends 24/06/2004

For further information contact Julie Edgar, Communications Director, Scottish Quality Salmon on 01738 587010 or 0789 987 5151 or by e-mail jedgar@scottishsalmon.co.uk

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