EU CONTROL IN THE BOX FOR FARMED FISH

In 2024, the researchers examined more than 1,000 liver and muscle samples from 888 farmed fish.

“We have collected more than 30,000 test results for illegal and unwanted substances, and found no exceedances of the EU limit values,” says marine scientist Annette Bernhard. 

Annual inspection

Every year, HI checks Norwegian farmed fish on behalf of the Norwegian Food Safety Authority. The monitoring is a requirement under both Norwegian law and EU regulations, and is intended to ensure that Norwegian farmed fish and farmed fish products do not contain undesirable substances at levels harmful to health.

“It is also a check to ensure that illegal substances are not used in farming,” says Bernhard.

The samples are mainly of farmed salmon, but the researchers also checked rainbow trout, trout, halibut and cod. 

The Norwegian Food Safety Authority takes the samples, while HI analyses and reports the results.

No illegal drugs

No traces of illegal drugs were detected. The researchers tested for, among other things, unauthorized drugs and substances with anabolic effects – i.e. growth hormones. 

“These samples are taken at the fish farms, and include fish in all life stages,” says Bernhard. 

Pharmaceuticals and environmental toxins below limits

Samples tested for approved veterinary drugs and environmental toxins were collected at slaughterhouses and are representative of Norwegian farmed fish ready for the market. 

Legal drugs include antibiotics, anaesthetics and antiparasitics.

“Residues of the lice agents emamectin and diflubenzuron, cypermethrin and deltamethrin were found, but the levels were below the limit values,” says Bernhard. 

Cypermethrin and deltamethrin are insecticides that are not only used as lice agents, but also as pesticides. This means that residual levels of the agents can be transferred to the fish from feed, if there are residues of them in the plants that are included in the feed. 

“Other veterinary drugs, such as antibiotics or drugs used against intestinal parasites, were not found,” says Bernhard.

No environmental toxins such as PFAS (per- and polyfluorinated substances), dioxins, dioxin-like PCBs, mercury, lead or cadmium above the EU limit value were found in any of the samples. 

Separate “smoking section”

The researchers also checked 13 samples of smoked fillets from farmed fish for environmental toxins that can occur during grilling, smoking or frying at high temperatures. 

“We checked for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons – abbreviated PAH – which can be residues from the smoking process. Limit values have been set for PAH in smoked fish, and these were not exceeded in any of the samples,” says the marine scientist.Has included new contaminants

In 2024, several new substances were included in the monitoring. These are chemical compounds that are referred to in English as “contaminants of emerging concern”. 

“These are new substances that may be harmful, but which we do not yet know enough about. There are no established limit values for these substances, and it is uncertain both how much we get through food and what amounts may be harmful,” explains Bernhard.

The new substances that were analysed were selected because they may be relevant in aquaculture.

Checked several hundred new substances

Among the newcomers we find a wide range of pesticides, persistent organic pollutants, substances that can arise during the processing of fish feed, feed additives, aromatic hydrocarbons, a new substance used for impregnation of cages and mycotoxins. Mycotoxins are toxins produced by various types of moulds.

“Some of the new substances were detected in some of the samples. We found environmental toxins such as new brominated flame retardants, an aromatic hydrocarbon and chlorinated paraffins. An additive and process contaminants were also found that can be transferred from feed to fish,” says Bernhard.

The substances that were detected will be included in further monitoring. The data will be submitted to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

“Norwegian and European authorities need more data on these substances in various foods in order to be able to assess whether there is any health risk associated with them. These are substances that are present in the environment, and then we can also find them in food,” says Bernhard.

Reference

Annette Bernhard and others ” Monitoring programme for pharmaceuticals, illegal substances and contaminants in farmed fish – Annual report for 2024 “. Report from the marine research 2025-48

Image: Every year, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority takes samples of farmed fish that are analysed at HI. Illustrative photo: Erlend Astad Lorentzen / HI

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