Species may be misrepresented in markets to get a higher price
Experts have called for clear labeling of salmon to avoid misleading consumers, following recent debates over the difference between salmon and trout.
“Traditionally, salmon refers to Atlantic salmon, and it is different from trout,” said Gu Zhongyi, a nutritionist at Beijing Friendship Hospital of Capital Medical University. “It is common for trout to be sold as Atlantic salmon, though. Labeling should be regulated so consumers know whether they have bought Atlantic salmon or trout.”
Salmon has become a hot topic following a report on China Central Television last week that around one-third of salmon sold on the domestic market is produced at a fish farm at Longyangxia Reservoir in Qinghai province. Many netizens say the fish raised in the reservoir are trout, not salmon, and that it’s not suitable for eating raw as it may contain parasites.
In response, the China Fisheries Association said that, in China, the term salmon generally refers to a type of fish that includes Atlantic salmon and trout.
Whether or not a fish has parasites is not related to its being raised in seawater or fresh water but to the safety measures imposed while they are being raised, the association said. Trout raised in China, including at Longyangxia Reservoir, are raised in clear, cold water, and chances of their being infected with parasites are slim, it said.
An owner of a fish stall in Beijing’s Haidian district, who asked that his name not be used, said on Monday that buyers sometimes ask about the origin of the salmon he sells, as he does not include specific information on the labels.
