Salmon, whether wild or farmed, receive their signature flesh colour from their food. This is a consequence of their need to use and store an antioxidant called astaxanthin. Astaxanthin is a carotenoid, the yellow, orange, and red pigments produced by algae and other plants. These are the same natural substances that give Flamingo’s their signature pink colour and there are over 600 different types. In the wild, astaxanthin is produced by microscopic algae and it is used and stored all the way up the food chain, eventually reaching salmon when they hunt creatures such as krill. Farmed salmon need this same antioxidant, so we add it to their diets. In fact, it also forms part of diets of other fish, like Yellowtail kingfish. Unlike salmon, they don’t store carotenoids in their muscles.

Only around 10% of Astaxanthin present in salmon feed is stored by the fish, while the remaining 90% is used to help the fish’s metabolism. Astaxanthin is a crucial part of salmon diet, helping support muscle growth and boosting the immune system. Just like fish, we have also evolved to use carotenoids in our bodies. Astaxanthin has been shown to have numerous health benefits for humans and is at least 100x more effective as an antioxidant than Vitamin E. Astaxanthin is perfectly safe for both salmon and humans and is sold as a human health supplement.