Food Safety
New Zealand farmed king salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) are grown in some of the cleanest waters in the world.
Most farm-raised king salmon are grown in sea-cages. The low stocking densities used and the lack of disease in the wild population mean New Zealand farmers do not need the antibiotics and chemicals that are often used in salmon farms elsewhere.
New Zealand Food Safety officials routinely sample salmon at the farms to verify that the salmon flesh meets all requirements for all chemicals (e.g. heavy metals). These results have always been well within international specifications.
Harvesting of farm-raised salmon can be programmed to ensure the fish are processed promptly. All processing plants must meet the New Zealand Food Safety Authority’s strict hygiene standards and are regularly audited by food safety officials.
Companies routinely take microbiological samples and are required to keep very good records of their quality assurance programmes. Companies producing smoked salmon products (both hot and cold smoked) must have microbiological programmes that monitor their premises and products for Listeria monocytogenes.
