Canthaxanthin in Canadian Egg/ Salmon Products (Gov't. reply- Canada 2003)
Salmon pink turns a safer shade of grey (Article on canthaxanthin - UK, 2003)
Mislabelled WILD Juvenile Chum Salmon from Japan (Article on Salmon predation, 2006)
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency(CFIA) LINKS 2003
The Canadian Gov't Position on Labelling Statement and LINK 2003
Mad Cow Disease and Cannibalistic Feeding Practices, LINKS 2003
Subject : Re: canthaxanthin in egg/ salmon products:
Question: The EU is reducing the acceptable levels of canthaxanthin as a result of new studies which indicate that the colouring additive can be harmful to the human retina. Is the Canadian government planning to reevaluate the acceptable limits in Canadian produce?(from L.Hammond )
REPLY To : <dawnone@hotmail.com>
CC : "WebMaster CFIA" <CFIAMaster@inspection.gc.ca>, "Ruben Gandia"<gandiar@inspection.gc.ca>, "Judy Thompson" <jthompson@inspection.gc.ca>, "Linda Morrison" <LMorrison@inspection.gc.ca>, "Ray Perron" <rperron@inspection.gc.ca>
Received from : Julie Dawson, Feed Evaluation Specialist, Canadian Food Inspection Agency
WEB RESPONSE / RÉPONSE DU WEB ID:2003/5-363
Date : Fri, 23 May 2003 11:37:40 -0400
This information is being supplied in reponse to a
question posed on the CFIA website.
Canthaxanthin is currently approved for use in Canada at a level not to exceed 30 mg/kg of complete feed. The following definition appears in the Feeds Regulations for this feed ingredient:
Canthaxanthin (IFN 8-16-286) is a naturally occurring carotenoid formulated in an organic matrix. It shall be labelled with one or both of the following statements: "Canthaxanthin is for use as a colouring agent in poultry and fish feeds at a rate not to exceed 30 grams/tonne of the complete feed"; or «Canthaxanthin est destiné à être utilisé comme agent de coloration dans des aliments de la volaille et du poisson, en quantité ne devant pas dépasser 30 grammes/tonne de l'aliment complet.»
A SCAN (Scientific Committee on Animal Nutrition) report from the EU was issued in April 2002 concerning the use level of canthaxanthin in feed. This report recommended that the inclusion rate for canthaxanthin be lowered from 80 mg/kg to 25 mg/kg. Please note that the current Canadian limit is 30 mg/kg and the value that the EU commission is proposing is similar to what is already in place for Canadians. The report was reviewed using fish consumption data for Canada and our current feed inclusion maximum which was deemed to be safe. Therefore, Canada's level for canthaxanthin in fish and poultry feed will remain at 30 mg/kg.
If you have any further questions please contact myself or Ruben Gandia at (613) 225-2342.
Julie Dawson
Feed Evaluation Specialist
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
(613) 225-2342 ext. 5346
NOTE (LDH): For more on the Canthaxanthin issue, read the following article!
Andrew Osborn in Brussels and James
Meikle
The Guardian Weekly 20-3-0130, page 10
Its orangey-pink flesh glistens from countless supermarket shelves across Britain, but the highly prized salmon is about to undergo a change of colour thanks to a new European Union food-safety edict.
Concerned that canthaxanthin, a chemical fed to farmed salmon to give them their bright hue, may also be harming people's eyesight, the maximum permitted amount of artificial colouring allowed in the fish by the EU is to be slashed by a factor of three.
`Brighter eyesight or brighter salmon?` was how the European Commission described the stark choice this week. The pigment is also fed to chickens to make their skin and eggs a brighter yellow; the maximum levels for poultry will also be cut. However, three-quarters of the eggs sold in Britain do not contain the chemical, and the levels fed to poultry are said to be well within the EU's new limits.
`Scientific assessments have shown that a high intake of canthaxanthins produces an accumulation of pigments in the retina, affecting the sight,` David Byrne, the EU food safety commissioner, said. `The use of this feed additive is purely cosmetic, to colour food, and reduced levels of the additive will not adversely effect taste or quality.`
The flesh of wild salmon is naturally pink because the fish consume large amounts of shrimps. However, almost 90% of the salmon sold in supermarkets is farmed, and there is no obligation to state on labelling that canthaxanthin has been used. Salmon farmers feed large doses of the additive to fish because, they argue, consumers find the greyer shade that farmed salmon would naturally have to be a turn-off. `It's appealing to the eye,` said Julie Edgar, communications director at Scottish Quality Salmon, Scotland's main trade body. `People traditionally associate salmon with pink and red.`
But using canthaxanthin carries a risk. Beate Gminde, a commission spokeswoman, said: There's no such thing as zero risk. We do know that there's a possible impact in the long term [on eyesight], but it's impossible to quantify it. Limit on food colouring in the E.U. The European Union (EU) has ruled that levels of a chemical used to give egg yolks and poultry products a reddish colour should be reduced as the additive can cause vision problems. The chemical, Canthaxanthin, can trigger an accumulation of pigments in the retina, said EU Commissioner David Byrne. The use of this feed additive is purely cosmetic, to colour food, he said. Reduced levels of the additive will not adversely affect the taste or quality of food, which is why I wholeheartedly welcome the decision to reduce the authorised levels of Canthaxanthin, he said.
This is an example of mislabelled Wild Salmon fillets from China. High Liner is another brand which sells wild salmon from China. According to Aqua Star , their Salmon Fillets Salmon Fillets are " Caught in the wild in waters off the Hokkaido Region of Japan, they're naturally a deep red color and contain no preservatives."
They are not, however, "wild". The next report from the government of Japan suggests otherwise. While it is not specifically on the subject of what constitutes a wild salmon, it reveals their fish farm origin.
http://www.lib.noaa.gov/japan/aquaculture/proceedings/report30/nagasawa.htm
Predation on Juvenile Chum Salmon Oncorhynchus keta by Fishes and Birds in Rivers and Coastal Oceanic Waters of Japan
Kazuya Nagasawa
Nikko Branch, National Research Institute of Aquaculture
Fisheries Research Agency, Chugushi, Nikko
Tochigi 321-1221
JAPAN
Email: ornatus@fra.affrc.go.jp
Hiroshi Kawamura
Kumaishi Branch
Hokkaido Fish Hatchery
Ayukawa 189-43, Kumaishi
Hokkaido 043-0402
JAPAN
Email: kawamurah@fishexp.pref.hokkaido.jp
Key Words: predation, natural mortality, chum salmon, Oncorhynchus keta, piscivorous fish, fish-eating birds.
Abstract
The present paper compiles information on predation by fishes and birds on juvenile chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) in rivers and coastal oceanic waters of Japan. In Japan, nearly 100% of chum salmon juveniles are reared at hatcheries and released into rivers. Various freshwater fishes, such as sculpins, gobiids and Japanese dace (Tribolodon hakonensis) are known to feed on released chum salmon juveniles. In this paper, detailed information is given about predation by fluvial sculpin (Cottus nozawae) in a river of southern Hokkaido. Evidence shows that sculpin preyed on chum salmon juveniles, but their impact on the population was low. Gulls and other birds aggregate at river-mouths during the season of chum salmon release and feed heavily on juveniles. A recent survey on the impact of avian predation on the chum salmon population in a river of western Hokkaido has shown that over 10% of released juveniles were consumed by gulls (black-tailed gulls Larus crassirostris and slaty-backed gulls L. schistisagus) for nine days after release, indicating that the gulls are significant predators. Gulls are the most abundant seabirds in coastal waters of Hokkaido, and their predation may be present in coastal oceanic waters as well. Night releases are highly recommended to reduce loss of chum salmon by avian predation in river-mouth regions.
Natural mortality is one of the most important factors controlling fish populations, and predation is a major source of natural mortality for juvenile Pacific salmon (Ruggerone, 1986; Wood, 1987; Rieman et al., 1991; Ruggerone and Rogers, 1992; Beamish et al., 1992; Collis et al., 2001). In Japan, nearly 100% of juvenile chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta are reared at hatcheries and currently about two billion fish are released into rivers every spring (Kaeriyama, 2000). These juveniles travel to the sea and migrate along the coast of northern Japan to the southern Sea of Okhotsk (Fig. 1). Life history information on distribution, migration and feeding patterns is available, but little is known about the speciesÕ natural mortality, especially predation.
Nagasawa (1998) regarded the following nine fish species and two seabirds as major predators of juvenile chum salmon in coastal oceanic waters of Japan: Japanese dace Tribolodon hakonensis, Far Eastern dace T. brandti, white-spotted charr Salvelinus leucomaenis, Japanese halibut Paralichthys olivacaeus, Japanese sea perch Lateolabrax japonicus, spiny dogfish Squalus acanthias, arabesque greenling Pleurogrammus azonus, pink salmon O. gorbuscha, masu salmon O. masou, rhinoceros auklets Cerorhinca monocerata and black-tailed gulls Larus crassirostris. This paper reviews past literature and adds new research on fish and avian predation on chum salmon juveniles in Japanese rivers.
Figure 1. Migration route of juvenile chum salmon in coastal oceanic waters of northern Japan (modified from Irie, 1990),showing the locations of the Nishibetsu River (1), Memu River(2), Utabetsu River (3), Shokanbetsu River (4), Furuu River (5),Otsuchi River (6), Katsugi River (7), and Shou River (8).
Predation in Rivers
There are several papers dealing with predation by white-spotted charr on chum salmon juveniles in Japanese rivers (Kubo, 1946; Hikita et al., 1959; Takami and Nagasawa, 1996). In northern Japan, white-spotted charr are widely distributed and abundant in mountain streams and upper reaches of rivers. In eastern Hokkaido, Kunashiri and Iturup islands, Kubo (1946) found an average of 8.2 juveniles per stomach and regarded white-spotted charr as the most significant predator. Many years later Takami and Nagasawa (1996) reported chum salmon in the stomachs of four (12.5%) out of 32 white-spotted charr in the Furuu River, western Hokkaido during the seaward migration period of both species (Fig. 1).
In Japan, masu salmon spend their first one to two years in rivers before migrating to the sea. During this time and during migration they prey heavily on juvenile chum salmon (Kubo, 1949; Hikita et al., 1959). Tago (1994) reported the same in the Shou River of central Honshu (Fig. 1). Juvenile chum salmon are released from hatcheries during their natural migration period, late winter to early spring. In TagoÕs study the percentage of masu salmon ingesting chum salmon began to increase in mid- to late March, peaked in mid-April, and thereafter decreased (Fig. 2).
This trend corresponded with seasonal changes in abundance of sea-migrating chum salmon at sampling sites. In mid-April, a single chum salmon was usually preyed upon by one masu salmon.
Figure 2. Seasonal changes in percent weight of chum salmon in the stomachcontents of juvenile masu salmon from the Shou River, central Honshu, from earlyMarch to late April 1992 (original, raw data from Tago, 1994).
Other salmonids known to feed on juvenile chum salmon in Japanese rivers include Dolly Varden Salvelinus malma (Kubo, 1946), Sakhalin huchen Hucho perryi (Kubo, 1946; Nakano, 1992), brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis and rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss (Kubo, 1946; Hikita et al., 1959). Of these species, Sakhalin huchen and Dolly Varden have such small populations in restricted rivers that the impact of their predation on chum salmon populations is minimal. Brook trout and rainbow trout populations are also low because they usually do not breed in northern Japan, suggesting a minimal impact. However, the latter two salmonids are known to reproduce abundantly and feed on chum salmon in some rivers of Hokkaido, such as the Nishibetsu River (Fig. 1 - Kubo, 1946; Hikita et al., 1959). Japanese dace are also known predators, although insignificant in rivers (Inukai, 1949).
The most well studied predator of juvenile chum salmon in Japanese rivers is the fluvial sculpin Cottus nozawae (Hikita and Nagasawa, 1960; Kawamura, 1980, as C. pollux; Nagata, 1984; Nagata and Miyamoto, 1986). Fluvial sculpin mainly occur in the lower and middle reaches of rivers in Hokkaido and northern Honshu. They feed on a wide variety of organisms, such as aquatic insects, benthic animals, small fish and salmon eggs (Goto, 1989). Predation on chum salmon by fluvial sculpin has been studied in two rivers, the Memu River and Utabetsu River, Hokkaido (Fig. 1). Detailed information is given in the next section.
Another species of the freshwater sculpin, C. hangiongensis, has been reported to prey on chum salmon in the Otsuchi River, northern Honshu (Fig. 1 - Hiyama et al., 1972a; 1972b). In April of 1964-65, juveniles were found in the stomachs of sculpin 13.2-35.7% of the time. At least 68 juveniles were found in the stomachs of 48 sculpin (1.4 salmon per sculpin).
The floating goby Chaenogobius urotaenia and Japanese trident goby Tridentiger obscurus are predators of chum salmon juveniles in Japan (Hiyama et al., 1972a; 1972b; Amida and Okada, 1973). Information on predation by these gobies is very limited and there are only a few records from two rivers. In the Otsuchi River, northern Honshu, 29 (3.5%) out of 823 floating gobies and 2 (6.5%) out of 31 trident gobies collected in April had 35 (mean 1.2) and 3 (1.5) chum salmon in the stomachs, respectively (Hiyama et al., 1972b). Amida and Okada (1973) reported that floating gobies actively fed on chum salmon at night in the Katsugi River, central Honshu (Fig. 1). In late April, over 40% of the gobies sampled were found to have ingested juveniles.
No scientific information is available on avian predation on juvenile chum salmon in Japanese rivers, except the river-mouth regions. However, Sakurai (1984) states in his book that two species of kingfishers, crested kingfisher Ceryle lugubris and common kingfishers Alcedo atthis, prey on sea-migrating chum salmon juveniles in eastern Hokkaido. These birds are frequently observed along streams in northern Japan. Sakurai also mentions that black-backed wagtails Motacilla alba and brown-headed thrushes Turdus chrysalaus feed on juveniles. Since brown dippers Cinclus pallasii are known to eat juvenile rainbow trout stocked into rivers (Hiyama et al., 1960) and occur widely in Japan, including the northern region, where chum salmon propagation has been extensively conducted, predation by this bird species on chum salmon is very likely.
Case Studies on Predation by Fluvial Sculpin
Various aspects of fluvial sculpin biology (Kawamura, 1979, as C. pollux) and predation (Nagata, 1984) were investigated in the Utabetsu River, southern Hokkaido. Kawamura (1980) and Nagata and Miyamoto (1986) conducted intense studies in 1978-80 and 1983-84, respectively. The Utabetsu River is mere 13 km long and drains directly into the North Pacific Ocean. Chum salmon are released in spring (from mid-April to early June, usually in late May) from a governmental hatchery located about 4 km upstream from the river mouth. The number of the fish released in 1978-80 and 1983-84 ranged between 1.45 and 3.27 million. The juveniles do not remain in this river long. About 50% enter the sea by the next day and the remainder by the following 12-24 days.
The abundance of fluvial sculpin varied by sampling location. The species was abundant (0.15 fish/m2) near the river mouth, but much less abundant (0.02-0.05 fish/m2) in the upper stream. The sculpin were collected using cast and dip nets in May 1983 and comprised six size groups. Fish of size group 2 were the most abundant (40.6%) at 6.70 cm in mean body length (BL), followed by those of size groups 3 and 4 (26.7%, 8.95 cm BL and 11.7%, 10.75 cm BL, respectively). The largest sculpin collected measured 17.0 cm BL. These percentages were used to estimate the density of fluvial sculpin occurring in May 1983. A total of 1200 fish were estimated to occur throughout the two river regions (river-mouth region and upper-stream region to the hatchery). In addition, the satiation weight of prey (Yw) was determined by the body length (X) of predator, as shown by the linear equation:
Yw = 0.695 X 0.695 X - 4.381 (1)
Feeding behavior of fluvial sculpin was also observed in a tank for seven days after the fish were satiated with chum salmon juveniles. The sculpin fed on few juveniles for the first three days, but fed actively for the remaining four days. The ratio of fish eaten in seven days to initial fish consumed for satiation decreased exponentially with an increase in sculpin body length. The relationship between ratio (Y) and body length (X) is shown by the formula:
Y = 111.902X-1.8201 (2)
The percentage of fluvial sculpin ingesting chum salmon juveniles varied between years (27.9-72.2%), with larger sculpin ingesting a greater number (Fig. 3). As many as eight chum salmon were recovered from two large fish (13 and 14 cm BL), and an average of about 2.4 juveniles were found in a single stomach. The chum salmon found in stomachs were smaller than the released fish (e.g., 0.87 and 0.92 g for the 1983 and 1984 mean BW of ingested juveniles vs 0.92 and 1.29 g for released juveniles).
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Date: Fri, 16 May 2003 15:51:52 -0400
Subject: Re: GMO labelling: WEB RESPONSE
"The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is responsible for the regulation of products derived through biotechnology including plants, animal feeds and animal feed ingredients, fertilizers and veterinary biologics. For genetically modified crop plants, the CFIA assesses the potential risk of adverse environmental effects; authorizes and oversees import permits, confined trials, unconfined release and variety registration. Health Canada is responsible for assessing the human health safety of products derived through biotechnology including foods, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices and pest control products. In the case of novel foods, each safety assessment considers the process used to develop the novel food, its characteristics compared to those of its traditional counterpart, its nutritional quality, the potential presence of any toxicants or anti-nutrients, and the potential allergenicity of any proteins introduced into the food. Mandatory labelling is currently required if there is a health or safety concern, i.e. from allergens or a significant nutrient or compositional change (these decisions will be made by Health Canada). To date, none of the products approved for use in Canada have required mandatory labelling."
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