Why different kind of fishes have different meat color and why Salmon has that distinctive meat color?

Question

Why different kind of fishes have different meat color and why Salmon has that distinctive meat color?

In: Biology

Answer 1

Wild salmon is pink, orange or even red because of molecules called carotenoids. These are found naturally in shrimp and krill, which salmon quite like to eat. The carotenoids accumulate within their muscle tissue however, instead of just passing through the digestive system or being digested, and the build up of carotenoids gives the muscle that colour.

Farmed salmon have grey muscle normally, but they’re dyed pink by farmers.