Tassal fish colour chemical’s natural shift

TASSAL has announced plans to introduce a natural version of astaxanthin — the chemical that gives farmed salmon its pink colour — into the diet of its fish from next year.

Tassal chief executive Mark Ryan says the company has been investigating the viability of using a natural astaxanthin and would be phasing it in. Picture: PETER MATHEW

TASSAL has announced plans to introduce a natural version of astaxanthin — the chemical that gives farmed salmon its pink colour — into the diet of its fish from next year.

Huon Aquaculture has also confirmed it is transitioning towards use of a natural astaxanthin with new feed supplier Biomar.

Tassal chief executive Mark Ryan said the company had been investigating the viability of using a natural astaxanthin for “some time,” and would phase it in with feed supplier Skretting over 12 months.

Huon Aquaculture chief executive Peter Bender said consumers would be advised when all astaxanthin used by his company was natural.

A recent ABC Four Corners documentary questioned whether the use of a synthetic version of the chemical in Australia’s aquaculture industry should be marked in product labelling.

Wild salmon have pink flesh due to their diet of crustaceans, which contain astaxanthin. Astaxanthin is an antioxidant and provitamin A source, and can increase the growth rate and survival of juvenile fish. Both natural and synthetic versions have the same chemical composition.

Mr Ryan said the decision was due to a growing consumer preference for natural products, rather than the recent media scrutiny.

Tassal’s announcement was made on the same day the Australian Greens referred allegations Tassal may have attempted to dissuade a witness from appearing at a Senate inquiry into the finfish industry to the Senate President.

Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson’s referral comes after a revelation by Dover Bay Mussels owner Warwick Hastwell on Four Corners.

Tassal wrote to Mr Hastwell saying: “We remind your clients of their obligations not to make disparaging statements whether in relation to the Senate inquiry or to the media or otherwise.”

Mr Hastwell was scheduled to be a witness but did not attend the hearing.

Confidentiality and non-disparagement clauses had been included in the sale of Mr Hastwell’s leases to Tassal in 2015.

Senator Whish-Wilson said it was critical that witnesses could provide evidence to Senate Inquiries without constraints. He said laws dictated “that it is contempt of the Senate for a person or company to use intimidation, threat or inducement in relation to another person’s evidence before a Committee,” he said.

A Tassal spokesman said the decision was at Mr Hastwell and his legal adviser’s discretion and that he did present a written submission.

Originally published as Tassal fish colour chemical’s natural shift