Q&As on the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA) advice on the consumption of oily fish

Is today’s announcement good news for the Scottish salmon industry?

Yes. We are delighted that the FSA has reminded people of the very significant benefits of eating oily fish like salmon, particularly for preventing heart disease and for the development of unborn children.

How badly was the industry hit in January when the American scientists claimed that you should limit the consumption of Scottish salmon?

Although most people recognised it for the scare story it was, clearly it did dent confidence in Scottish salmon. Today’s report is very good news in that it states quite clearly that oily fish like salmon is actually very good for you and we should all be eating a lot more of it to protect our health and that of our children.

How will today’s announcement affect the Scottish industry?

We think it will boost morale and reassure the thousands of people who work on the fish farms that the very high quality salmon they produce has been officially recognised as a very healthy food.

Are you disappointed that pregnant women and girls are told to eat only 1 or 2 portions of salmon a week?

We are very pleased with the advice from the FSA as the new recommended consumption of oily fish for pregnant and breast feeding women, as well as girls and women who may become pregnant at some point in their lives, has increased by 100%, increasing from one portion a week to two portions.

In addition, the FSA has specifically pointed out the very real benefits of Omega-3 in oily fish like salmon for the development of unborn children. There are a great many scientific papers highlighting the positive effects of Omega-3 on children’s brain development, behavioural problems, and dyslexia, for example. Of course, salmon is also very good for the pregnant women too and is also believed to prevent premature delivery.

How were local communities affected in January and what do you think the reaction is going to be now?

Local communities were furious that such irresponsible allegations could be made about Scottish salmon by American scientists who were funded by environmentalists with a clear anti-fish farming agenda. However, we think that they will be delighted by such clear advice from the FSA and feel vindicated that the salmon they produce has officially got the green light.

The FSA talked about the health benefits of Omega-3s, but there are lots of foods now with these added, what’s so different about salmon?

Oily fish like salmon is the only significant source of EPA and DHA, which are scientific terms for the most important types of these Omega fatty acids. You can’t get these in the same quality or quantity from any other type of food.

Popping a capsule means that you miss out on the valuable vitamins and proteins contained in salmon, not to mention the delicious flavour.

Is smoked salmon as good a source of Omega-3?

Yes.

Does freezing affect the Omega-3 content?

No.

How much salmon do you have to eat to get your quota of Omega-3?

As the FSA has said, eating one portion of oily fish like salmon per week will ensure that you get the minimum requirement of Omega-3s for your health, but obviously the more you eat the more benefits you will enjoy.

What financial impact will this new report have on the industry?

A very positive one we hope. As the FSA has pointed out, people just don’t eat enough oily fish like salmon – on average, people in the UK eat a third of a portion of oily fish a week, with some seven out of ten people not eating it at all. So taking the FSA’s advice will mean a huge increase in consumption. Of course that will be good for the industry and the small local communities that depend on the employment, but the most significant benefit will be on the nation’s health.

What message does this new report send to the American scientists?

Well, it says that they were wrong. The FSA advice shows that the following subgroups can eat the following amounts of oily fish, such as salmon, to gain maximum health benefits:

Men, boys and women past child-bearing age can eat 208 portions a year;
Women not intending to have children can eat 208 portions a year;
Girls and women who may become pregnant at some point in their lives can eat 104 portions a year, and;
Pregnant and breast-feeding women can eat 104 portions a year.

That’s lots of salmon steaks, barbecues and salmon stir fries, sandwiches and salads!

Critics of the industry will say that the fact that the FSA has set safe maximum levels for consumption means that salmon is still not completely safe. What would you say to that?

It’s nonsense. The FSA and many thousands of other scientific papers are all recommending that we increase our oily fish consumption and reap the many health benefits. The graph attached below illustrates the new FSA advice and the recommended increases in consumption.