What is the amount of vitamin E (Vit E) in Atlantic salmon?

Vitamin E Content in Atlantic Salmon

Atlantic salmon (farmed) contains approximately 2.1 g of omega-3 fatty acids (EPA/DHA) per 3.5-oz serving, and while the provided guidelines do not specify exact vitamin E content in salmon flesh, research demonstrates that tissue vitamin E concentrations in farmed Atlantic salmon are directly dependent on dietary supplementation levels and can be significantly increased through feed fortification. 1, 2

Vitamin E in Atlantic Salmon: Key Facts

Dietary Influence on Tissue Levels

• Farmed Atlantic salmon tissue vitamin E concentrations are entirely dependent on dietary supplementation, as fish cannot synthesize this nutrient and must obtain it from feed 2
• When salmon are fed diets supplemented with 150-400 mg/kg vitamin E as all-rac alpha-tocopheryl acetate for 14 weeks, alpha-tocopherol concentrations significantly increase in plasma, liver, and fillet tissue 2
• Higher dietary vitamin E supplementation (400 mg/kg) results in considerably decreased malondialdehyde concentrations in salmon fillet, indicating improved flesh quality and reduced lipid peroxidation 2

Tissue Distribution and Retention

• Vitamin E concentrations vary across different salmon tissues, with liver showing the most dramatic depletion (to approximately 3% of normal) during deficiency, while eye tissue retains up to 40% of normal levels even when deficient 3
• Tissue vitamin E levels in salmon muscle, heart, plasma, brain, and eye all vary in accordance with dietary vitamin E intake 3

Clinical Significance for Human Consumption

• The actual vitamin E content in the edible portion of Atlantic salmon available to consumers is not standardized and depends entirely on aquaculture feeding practices 2
• Alpha-tocopherol supplementation beyond dietary recommendations in salmon feed may further improve the nutritional value of Atlantic salmon fillet for human consumption 2
• An antagonistic interaction exists between alpha- and gamma-tocopherol in salmon plasma at high supplementation levels, where high dietary alpha-tocopherol reduces plasma gamma-tocopherol concentrations 2

Context: Human Vitamin E Requirements

• For reference, adult humans require 15 mg alpha-tocopherol daily (RDA), with an estimated average requirement of 12 mg/day 1
• Over 60% of adults in the United States have vitamin E intakes below the estimated average requirement 4
• Atlantic salmon (farmed) is listed as containing 2.1 g of EPA/DHA per 3.5-oz serving, making it an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, though specific vitamin E content is not provided in standard nutritional databases 1

Important Considerations

• The vitamin E content in commercially available Atlantic salmon is variable and not routinely reported on nutritional labels, unlike omega-3 fatty acid content which is standardized 1, 2
• Dietary vitamin E supplementation in salmon feed does not affect the beneficial EPA and DHA concentrations in salmon fillet 2
• Vitamin E deficiency in salmon during aquaculture results in severe pathology including anemia, muscular dystrophy, and lipoid liver degeneration, necessitating adequate supplementation in commercial feeds 5, 6