No elevated levels of radiation found in North Pacific salmon samples
On January 7, 2014, Loki Fish Company announced that laboratory analysis of five salmon species harvested by its fishermen in Puget Sound and Southeast Alaska during 2013 show no indications of elevated radiation levels.
Radiation testing
In response to customer concerns over radiation releases into the Pacific Ocean from Fukushima, fisherman-owned Loki Fish Company contracted with internationally accredited Eurofins Analytical Laboratories of Metaire, Louisiana to conduct radiation testing on seven stocks of wild salmon.
Loki harvests and direct markets wild salmon through King County Farmers’ Markets and through national wholesale distribution. Tests were conducted on Pink, Keta, Coho, Sockeye and King salmon from southeast Alaska, and Pink and Keta salmon from Puget Sound.
Unsubstantiated rumors
Although the FDA contends that there is no evidence that radionuclides from Fukushima are present in Alaskan and Pacific Northwest seafood at a level that would be harmful to human health, it has not published results.
Meanwhile unsubstantiated rumors regarding the safety of North Pacific seafood have become widespread on the internet.
Results of the tests
"As fishing families who put salmon on the table of consumers, we are as concerned as anyone about the health of our marine ecology," said Pete Knutson, fisherman and co-owner of Loki. "We have long been active in environmental issues which affect salmon stocks and believe that environmental defense needs to be driven by science, not fear."
All seven stocks of salmon were tested for the radionuclides associated with the nuclear plant failures in Japan: Cesium 134, Cesium 137, and Iodine 131. Of the seven samples, five did not register detectable levels of radionuclides. Two of the samples registered at trace levels – Alaskan Keta at 1.4Bq/kg for Cesium 137, and Alaskan Pink at 1.2Bq/kg for Cesium 134. There were no detectable levels of iodine-131 in any samples.
To put those numbers in perspective, the critical limit set by the FDA for either Cesium-134 or Cesium-137 is 370 Bq/kg, far above the amount found in Loki’s Alaskan Keta and Pink salmon.
Enjoy your wild seafood with confidence!
Check out our delicious range of wild salmon fillets, smoked salmon and salmon caviar from Loki Fish Company.
Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Information provided in this article is not designed to and does not provide medical advice, professional diagnosis, opinion, treatment, or services to you or to any other individual. This is general information for educational purposes only. The information provided is not a substitute for medical or professional care, and you should not use the information in place of a visit, call, consultation, or the advice of your physician or other healthcare provider. Wise Choice Marketing Inc is not liable or responsible for any advice, course of treatment, diagnosis, or any other information, services, or product you obtain through Wise Choice Marketing Inc.