Residue from an additive used in fish feed as a preservative has been found in Tassal and Petuna salmon to be beyond the maximum level allowed.
The additive, called ethoxyquin, was banned in the European Union in 2017; however, the European Food Safety Authority acknowledged in May 2022 that its reassessment of the additive has not led it to definitively conclude about “its safety for certain groups of animals, consumers and the environment.”
In the United States, the additive is allowed to be used.
According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), ethoxyquin is regulated by EPA as well as by the Food and Drug Administration for its use as a preservative in animal feed, dehydrated crops and sorghum, and as a antioxidant for the preservation of color in the production of chili powder, paprika, and ground chili.
Experts in Australia are nonetheless concerned that the findings that Tassal and Petuna salmon show residue limits beyond what’s allowed calls for regulations to be tightened, reported The Guardian.
The compound, a synthetic antioxidant, was developed by Monsanto in the 1950s. It is used to prevent fish meal from spontaneously combusting while being transported at sea.
