Atlantic Salmon: Intolerance & Allergy

Two families of salmon move through oceans and rivers – Atlantic and Pacific salmon. When salmon moves through the mind, it is most likely the Atlantic salmon – after all, it was long native to Germany and originally at home in the Elbe, Rhine and other rivers as well. From a completely different area of the world’s oceans comes the Pacific relative, which is clearly different from the Atlantic salmon.

Here’s what you should know about Atlantic salmon.

Regular consumption of Atlantic salmon provides the body with important nutrients and proteins, this significantly reduces the risk of heart attack. During its growth phase, Atlantic salmon has a striking greenish-gray back, silvery sides with dark spots and a light belly. It can reach a weight of up to 30 kg and grow up to 1.50 m long. Before embarking on its journey as an anadromous migrant, it prefers the nearshore waters of the Atlantic, because for spawning the salmon migrate back to the freshwater rivers in which they hatched. During this journey, the body gradually turns magnificent shades of red and yellow. This peculiar way of life entails an obstacle-filled migration that can last up to a year. Rapids, waterfalls and dams are the many obstacles that must be overcome. If these barriers are not too high, a salmon can overcome them with tremendous jumps and its powerful tail strokes, as it manages to jump 3-5 meters high. However, salmon stairs and ladders have been built at weirs and dams for a long time so that not too many salmon die during their migration, because their strength dwindles because they do not eat any food during the whole return journey, which can take up to a year, and only feed on their fat reserves. Just in time for the spawning season, from the beginning of November to the beginning of March, they arrive in their home waters, exactly where they grew up. They were guided by a mysterious sense of direction and the females now lay thousands of eggs, about 6 millimeters in size, which are immediately fertilized by several males. After one to four months the larvae hatch and it now takes about five years until they begin to migrate downstream towards the sea. It will take another one to three years for them to fatten up on crabs and small fish, become adults and reproduce, and make the long journey back to their birthplace. During this spawning migration, the salmon are caught in the rivers, using herring as bait, and longlines and set nets are generally used at sea. Because the popularity of Atlantic salmon as a food fish has increased considerably, stocks are dwindling sharply and only 5,000 tons of Atlantic salmon may be fished each year. Norway is home to the world’s largest wild salmon stocks and yet farming in huge farms is one of the most important industries there, as it is in Scotland, Ireland, the Faroe Islands, Canada and the USA. This type of salmon farming is a major threat to wild salmon stocks. Farmed salmon are fed fishmeal and fish, which also inevitably leads to overfishing. One way out is farmed salmon with the “organic seal”, because the feed for these salmon comes exclusively from catches that are used only for food production. The use of antibiotics, chemicals, genetically modified organisms and growth regulators is also prohibited. There is also a certificate for salmon caught in the sea. The MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) has certified fisheries that fish sustainably since 2001. Atlantic salmon has a very tender meat and a distinctive and strong spicy flavor. Farm-raised Atlantic salmon is fattier and has a more sweet-tart flavor. As Atlantic salmon is mainly offered as farmed fish, it can be obtained in consistent quality throughout the year. Wild Atlantic salmon has its peak season in the fall.

Importance for health

In addition to its exceptionally good taste, Atlantic salmon has a lot of good things to offer for health. It is one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids. However, it is essential to make sure that only Atlantic salmon with the “organic seal” or MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) certificate is consumed, otherwise it contains too many pollutants today that are detrimental to health.Regular consumption of Atlantic salmon provides the body with important nutrients and proteins, which significantly reduces the risk of heart attack. For older people, its consumption is particularly beneficial for building muscle mass, because this is rapidly degraded at this stage of life and the valuable proteins of Atlantic salmon can counteract this. Atlantic Salmon is also perfect for young people in the build-up and growth phase. Its valuable ingredients and nutrients promote healthy growth and brain activity is boosted. Atlantic Salmon has a natural richness in proteins, omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidant elements. These valuable contents make the skin age more slowly and contribute to its health maintenance.

Ingredients and nutritional values

Nutritionally, Atlantic Salmon consumption is an important source of essential fatty acids and high-quality protein due to its high content of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, 1.0 to 1.8 grams per 100 grams of fish. Other valuable nutrients in Atlantic salmon include B vitamins, vitamin A, vitamin D and the trace element iodine, which is a component of thyroid hormones.

Intolerances and allergies

For some people, however, eating Atlantic salmon can still be harmful. This is because if you have a fish allergy, eating it can cause severe to dangerous reactions. People may experience skin rashes, vomiting, diarrhea, nausea or difficulty breathing. Oral allergy syndromes show up as blisters in the mouth, swelling of the lips, or itching in the throat.

Shopping and kitchen tips

Ideally, Atlantic salmon should be consumed on the day of purchase. If this is not possible it can also be stored in the refrigerator for a day. To do this, it should not remain in its packaging, but should be transferred to a neutral container and covered with foil and ice. A fresh salmon can be easily recognized, it has clear and bulging eyes, its skin is shiny and the scales are tight and smooth. Its smell must be pleasant and should not have too strong a fishy odor. A finger pressure mark must recede after a short time. In the salmon fillet, the individual muscle elements must not gape apart.

Preparation tips

From Atlantic salmon can be prepared many kinds of well-tasting dishes. Whether fried, baked, poached, cold or hot smoked, grilled on the skin side or prepared as the popular Graved Salmon – it is always a treat for the palate. It also harmonizes excellently with many types of vegetables. A salmon flambé with a thin crispy base, juicy topping with sour cream, salmon and leeks is also a perfect treat.