Why Is Wild Salmon More Useful?

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Video: Why Is Wild Salmon More Useful?

Video: Why Is Wild Salmon More Useful?
Video: Wild Salmon or Farmed Salmon? Which is Better? | Serving Up Science 2024, December
Why Is Wild Salmon More Useful?
Why Is Wild Salmon More Useful?
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Salmon or Atlantic salmon is currently an endangered species, but thanks to its cultivation on fish farms, this delicacy is offered at relatively affordable prices throughout the year. The same cannot be said for wild salmon however.

Experts and lovers of this delicacy say that the quality of farm-raised salmon cannot be compared to wild. The taste, texture and color of Pacific fillets are superior to all farmed salmon.

Wild salmon swims long distances, its color is the result of a natural diet - feeding mainly on plankton and algae. In fishing, salmon is grown in containers, and the characteristic pink color of the fillet is artificially introduced by colorants, which in many cases can be harmful to our health.

Some companies are exploring more natural methods of fish farming, as mass production poses a potential health risk.

For most people, this fish in its wild version remains a rare seasonal delicacy. Fresh Pacific salmon is available in markets around the world in just a few weeks from mid to late summer.

Farm-raised salmon has two main differences compared to wild salmon. Firstly, it is significantly cheaper, and secondly - its meat is much fatter. So there are two problems for those who want to try real wild salmon.

First, it can be quite difficult to distinguish a farmed species from a wild one - for most people, the diversity of Pacific species is not known, so any salmon can be called a salmon or a red fish. Secondly, due to the lower fat content of wild salmon, their preparation requires more care, this otherwise excellent fillet is quite easy to spoil due to its taste in improper cooking.

Popular species of Pacific salmon

benefits of wild salmon
benefits of wild salmon

The largest Pacific salmon is the King Salmon. It differs from other salmon in its larger (more than 15) number of gill rays. It lives in the waters of the Pacific coast of America, as well as in the Arctic and Asia: in Kamchatka, the islands of Commander, Amur and northern Hokkaido.

Koho salmon is also a large fish, reaching a length of 98 cm, weighing an average of about 14 kg. Koho salmon is very different from other salmon in its bright silver color, which is why you can often find it under the name "silver salmon". It is most common on the North American coast of the Pacific Ocean, where it lives from Alaska to California. But its range also conquers the waters of Kamchatka, the Commander Islands and Hokkaido.

Coho salmon meat has from 6.1 to 9. 5% fat. Contains vitamins B1, B2, minerals and trace elements - iron, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, phosphorus, chlorine, molybdenum, nickel, fluorine, zinc, chromium.

The red fish, also called soke salmon, differs from many salmon in its characteristic color. The length of the representatives of this species reaches 80 cm, the weight is usually 1.5-3. 5 kg. Unlike other Pacific salmon, it breeds most often in lakes. Its flesh is not pink, as with other salmon, but in an intense red color.

The smallest and most common member of the Pacific salmon genus is the pink salmon. The average weight of pink salmon is 2.2 kg. The largest known pink salmon reaches a length of 76 cm and weighs 7 kg.

Pink salmon are found in the cold coastal waters of the Pacific and Arctic Oceans, from the Sacramento River in Northern California to the Mackenzie River in Canada and from the Lena River in Siberia to Korea.

The fillet of each of these species of Pacific salmon has a rich taste and aroma. Just one grill is enough to prepare a culinary masterpiece with it. But it is important not to overdo it with this type of fish. Culinary experts advise heat treatment to be minimal, and there is an even more exotic way of cooking, which fully preserves its taste and health qualities - salmon is marinated and eaten raw.

However, if you are not an expert in this type of processing, it is not recommended to experiment. It is enough to just make sure that this wonderful fish is offered with the indication that it is wild, accompanied by an indication of the required certificate.

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