The whole concept of “ingredients” when it comes to seafood is a relatively new idea for people to grasp. As wild fisheries have long been the primary source of retail seafood, there was fish and you knew it was made of⎯well, fish. A TikTok creator’s post about “color added” on a piece of salmon packaging caused an internet fiasco. Yes, a surmised conclusion was drawn by an under-informed consumer, but can you blame them? People are not used to seeing an ingredient list on their seafood products, and they are exercising a righteously skeptical eye.
Navigating New Territory: Sustainability, Impact, and Transparency
We’re working with new territory in a world increasingly concerned with sustainability, impact, and transparency. It’s our job as an industry not to tread lightly, but to move intentionally and communicate clearly the whats and whys behind ingredients and additives when it comes to farmed seafood. Terrestrial livestock, where animals are raised in human-controlled conditions, have been a consistent part of our human food story for several centuries. Thus our awareness of the importance of what they are being fed and, more recently, how they are being medicated and enhanced, is a familiar line of questioning that we as consumers have come to appreciate. Not so much with fish. Despite the earliest records of aquaculture dating back to around 2000 BCE, the products of large-scale commercial aquaculture only hit the supermarket scene within the last 40 years.
Consumers are playing catchup and concerns are shifting from wild-caught fish (decreasing stocks, overfishing, etc.) to farmed seafood awareness. They have questions, lots of them, and they will have more questions that they might not even be aware of yet.
How Does Farmed Salmon Get Its Color?
One of the big questions from consumers is: how does farmed salmon get its color? The color in question? Red, or rather astaxanthin⎯a powerful antioxidant derived from metabolized carotenoids in fish’s natural diet of krill, shrimp, and zooplankton. This carotenoid gives red-fleshed fish, like salmon, its pigmented color that consumers expect to see, and view how vibrant the color is as a sign of quality and health. The actual regulation in the US requires the “color added” line on the products, and you can pretty much guarantee consumers will want the answer to come without the environmental or health concerns associated with synthetic alternatives.
The Role of Natural Astaxanthin in Farmed Seafood
For salmon and trout, the “color added” question arises alongside shifting transparency requirements and consumer priorities. Assuring that this potent, health-enhancing additive is present in the feed is paramount to fish producers for both the health of the animal and the desired health benefits for consumers.
Retailers and seafood providers are responding to the call by sourcing products that reflect a commitment to sustainability and naturally low-impact, high-quality ingredients. By getting ahead of the curve, they can be prepared well in advance of consumer questioning.
The Questioning of Artificial Astaxanthin
“Of course the food our fishis raised on contains natural astaxanthin. Why would we provide anything else?!” Unfortunately, a lack of transparency still diffuses confusing messages on “natural-identical” synthetic astaxanthin, derived from the petrochemical industry. The artificial astaxanthin pigment is not at all equivalent or even chemically similar to its natural counterpart, and looking at the chemical makeup of astaxanthin is one method to differentiate between wild and farmed salmon!
Consumers Trust Natural Additives
Meeting customer expectations is not only about offering high-quality products but also about building trust through real transparency. This notable consumer preference for natural additives over synthetic ones is rippling across the industry, prompting seafood retailers to invest in an inventory of products with sustainable and naturally derived ingredients aligning with these values.
Sustainability has become central to sourcing strategies for many retailers, large and small. Establishments like Whole Foods, Wal-Mart, and Costco all have strong sustainable sourcing policies that hit on various touch points along the value chain, demonstrating corporate responsibility and observance of consumer expectations. It starts with where the seafood is coming from and what type of practices are used.
Natural Astaxanthin: A Key to the Farmed Seafood Story
As retailers respond to consumer preferences for natural and sustainable seafood options, the role of true natural additives like astaxanthin is becoming increasingly vital to the greater farmed seafood story. By choosing natural astaxanthin, retailers can enhance the appeal of farmed seafood, positioning it as a high-quality, sustainable choice in line with customer values.
If one thing is for certain, it will be met with a significantly better reception than an unexplained “color added” line on the packaging.
Dominique CORLAY – Consultant, Aquaculture Natural Solutions
