Is that salmon pink enough for you?

When the fish meats in your local seafood counter appear more pink and enticing than normal look again - in order for there might be more for them than you would think.

Fish maqui berry farmers are now being asked to find the shade from the seafood they produce utilizing a colour chart much like individuals offered by fresh paint producers.

The chart - known as a Salmofan - offers 30 shades, from pale rose to wealthy crimson, to dye the flesh from the seafood through their feed.

Its use has angered atmosphere and food campaigners who say it's a cynical ploy to hide poor people quality of mass-created gray captive-raised fish.

But there might be a far more serious threat, among the chemicals within the feed dyes continues to be associated with damage to the eyes.

Canthaxanthin (E161g) would be a colorant utilized in a sun-tan pill that was withdrawn within the eighties among concerns that could cause temporary blind spots as well as damage the retina.

It's been banned from processed meals, for example pickles, but continues to be allowed like a feed additive for fish as well as for chickens, where it can make egg yolks seem to be better yellow.

Fish and eggs from producers while using feed system, produced by Swiss firm Hoffman-LaRoche, can be found in every major supermarket within this country.

Fish maqui berry farmers they are under no legal obligation to inform customers if the seafood they're buying is wild or captive-raised.

Particulars from the manipulation of seafood colour is a blow for an industry that has also faced attacks over relatively high amounts of cancer-leading to contaminants, for example dioxins and PCBs.

Researcher Don Staniford, who completed research of seafood farming for Buddies of the world stated: 'Factory captive-raised fish has this type of dirty gray colour that artificial dye needs to be included to mask its unappetising look.

'This purely cosmetic contamination involves adding canthaxanthin and astaxanthin via fish feed - exactly the same chemicals are put into chicken feed to create eggs 'sunset yellow'

'The Swiss firm gives grocery stores a glossy colour-by-amounts chart - like something out a Dulux fresh paint advert - to choose how pink/red-colored they need this flabby captive-raised freak. Colour code 24 looks like it's to Canadian tastes.'

Last evening Dr Tim Lobstein, from the independent watchdog the meals Commission, stated: 'We have to understand that fish does vary in colour - unfortunately that captive-raised fish might look a little gray. Producers are involved their fish will not look great from the real, wild, factor.

'Consumers will not know this really is what's happening - in my money it is a fraud.'

Last evening a spokesperson for Scottish Quality Fish stated: 'Most of what's done is perfect for either seafood health insurance and welfare reasons or consumer demand --and customers like pink fish.

'In any commercial enterprise, the customer is the one who dictates what it's you need to do.A

She also stated that any deposits from the colorants had disappeared when the seafood reaches the businesses.

Last evening Horst Kramer, a spokesperson for Hoffman-LaRoche, refused there is any deceptiveness.

'What we're doing helps the fish industry to satisfy the needs of the clients,' he added.

'The ultimate decision to purchase or otherwise to purchase is created within the seafood shop so we can't effect on the choice from the consumer.

'We could have a situation in which the Spanish people should you prefer a different optical impression compared to French or even the British.'