The monitoring program is regulated through the EEA agreement, and is part of the EU's monitoring program for animal foodstuffs.

Have checked whether the farmed salmon is safe to eat

In 2022, 15,040 farmed fish were examined for illegal and unwanted substances. No illegal means were found. The results show that the levels of pharmaceuticals and environmental toxins are below the limit value.

Every year, the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research (HI in norwegian) checks Norwegian farmed fish for illegal drugs, legally used veterinary drugs and environmental toxins, on behalf of the Norwegian Food Safety Authority. 

In 2022, 3,008 samples were analysed, consisting of a total of 15,040 farmed fish. The fish are analyzed in collective samples, which consist of five fish from the same cage.  

"The samples should represent Norwegian farmed fish as a whole", explains researcher Annette Bernhard. 

The monitoring program is regulated through the EEA agreement, and is part of the EU's monitoring program for animal foodstuffs.  

The aim is to ensure that the food is safe.

Curious about how the monitoring takes place step by step? Check out this case!

No illegal substances found

In Norway, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority is responsible for the sampling of farmed fish, while the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research analyzes and reports the results.

Shellfish monitoring - Photo courtesy of the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research

Most of the samples were farmed salmon, but the researchers also checked rainbow trout, trout, halibut, turbot, char, cod and spotted catfish. 

A third of the samples were analyzed for illegal substances. These samples were taken from farms and from all life stages of the fish.

"Illegal agents are, for example, substances with anabolic effects, such as growth hormones, or unauthorized drugs", says Bernhard. 

No traces of illegal substances were detected in any of the samples in 2022. 

Lice agents below the limit value

The rest of the samples were taken at the slaughterhouse and analyzed for traces of unwanted substances. 

This includes both legally used veterinary drugs - such as antibiotics, anesthetics or drugs used against parasites - but also environmental toxins. 

Inspectors from the Norwegian Food Safety Authority take the samples at farm facilities across the country. Photo courtesy of the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research

Residues of the lice agents emamectin, lufenuron and imidacloprid were found. The levels were below the limit value.

The use of imidacloprid to treat salmon lice was authorized for the Norwegian market in 2021, and the substance was included in the monitoring program and measured for the first time in 2022. 

Residues of cypermethrin and deltamethrin were also found in several samples. These are substances that can be used as lice killers, but they can also be used as pesticides and can thus be transferred to the fish through the feed. The samples showed levels below the limit value.

Other veterinary drugs, such as antibiotics or drugs used against intestinal parasites, were not found. 

No excesses of environmental toxins

For environmental toxins, there are limit values ​​for dioxins, dioxin-like PCBs, total PCB-6 and the heavy metals mercury, lead and cadmium. 

 Photo courtesy of the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research

"As in previous years, this year's monitoring data also showed that the levels in farmed fish do not exceed the limit values ​​for these environmental toxins", says Bernhard.

On 1 January this year, limit values ​​for PFAS were also introduced. These substances have been part of the monitoring for several years, and apart from the discovery of PFOS in a sample of Atlantic halibut, no measurable levels of PFAS were found in the analyzed samples. 

HI is now in the process of developing more sensitive methods. Read more about this work here.

Author/Source: Bente Kjøllesdal / Norwegian Institute of Marine Research (translated from original in norwegian)

Report:

Annette Bernhard, Atabak Mahjour Azad and Rita Hannisdal (HI). "Monitoring program for pharmaceuticals, illegal substances, and contaminants in farmed fish - Annual report for 2022" Report from marine research 2023-35

[email protected]
www.seafood.media

Address:	P.O. Box 1870 Nordnes - Nordnesgaten 50
City:	Bergen
State/ZIP:	(5817)
Country:	Norway
Phone:	+47 55 238 500
E-Mail:	[email protected]
More about:

Print