FAQ
About Us
How is Blue Circle Foods different from other seafood companies?
As part of our Feel Good Fish promise, we’ve pioneered sustainable practices that protect our oceans’ natural ecosystems and provide consumers with cleaner, more nutritious seafood. We have real relationships with independent farms and fisheries that embrace sustainable methods and fair labor practices to produce 100 percent traceable, fully transparent fish. Our goal? To inspire real change in the seafood industry to ensure healthier fish, healthier people and healthier oceans.
How did Blue Circle Foods begin?
Founded to revolutionize seafood through fully transparent practices, organic industry pioneers created Blue Circle Foods in 2005. A James Beard award-winning chef, a restauranteur, and an organic industry leader in humanely-raised livestock practices joined forces to fix the fractures in seafood.
Who are our farmers?
We work with farmers dedicated to protecting the world’s oceans through responsible aquaculture. Our farmers embrace practices that minimize environmental impact such as using fish feed made from eco-friendly ingredients like microalgae, raising fish in spacious, deep-water pens, and farming without use of antibiotics, added hormones, GMOS and harmful chemicals.
Who are our fishermen?
We work with independent native fishermen from the Maldives and Iceland who embrace the highest standards of fishing and fair labor practices to source wild-caught fish from the most sustainable fisheries in the world.
What standards does Blue Circle Foods follow?
We believe in truly sustainable practices and standards that work harmoniously with the environment. We adhere to the standards of environmental protection established by theMonterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch, Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC), as well as the traceability requirements set forth by Trace Register. We voluntarily agree to third party auditing by the Institute for Marketecology (IMO).
Do we use antibiotics, added hormones, or GMOs?
We never use antibiotics, added hormones, GMOs, pesticides, or anti-foulants on any of our farms.
Our Salmon
What makes our salmon red?
Both wild and farmed salmon are red in color because of what they eat. In nature wild salmon eat carotenoids from crustaceans such as shrimp or krill. Carotenoids provide vitamin A and are an important part of salmons’ diet. At Blue Circle Foods, we use a naturally derived carotenoid called Panaferd, a natural bacteria that is comprised of astaxanthin, an antioxidant and important part of salmon's natural diet.
What is the Omega-3 content in Blue Circle Foods Atlantic Salmon?
One 8oz serving of our salmon contains an average of about 4,100mg (4.1g) of marine (combined EPA & DHA) Omega-3 fatty acids. FDA Dietary Guidelinesstate that individuals should consume a minimum of 250mg omega-3s’ per day or 1,750mg per week. That means just one 4oz serving of Blue Circle Foods Norwegian Atlantic Salmon provides your weekly allowance of Omega-3s.
Does our Norwegian Atlantic Salmon contain double the Omega-3 content of other brands?
According to The Norwegian National Institute of Nutrition and Seafood Research, the current industry standard for Omega-3 fatty acids in farmed Norwegian Atlantic salmon is approximately 2.5g per 8oz serving. In comparison, Blue Circle Foods Norwegian Atlantic Salmon contains an average of 4.1g of Omega-3s per serving. This increase in beneficial Omega-3s is due to the use of microalgae in our In the Blue feed. This sustainable ingredient boosts Omega-3s while reducing environmental impact. We expect the Omega-3 content in our salmon to increase as we continue to improve the feed.
How much Omega-3 content is found in wild salmon? How does Blue Circle Foods Norwegian Atlantic Salmon compare?
The Omega-3 content found in wild salmon varies depending on the species, size, and area from which it is sourced, making it difficult to accurately determine an industry standard. However, we can confirm that Blue Circle Foods Norwegian Atlantic Salmon contains equal to or higher Omega-3 content than the average wild salmon.
Does our Norwegian Atlantic Salmon contain contaminants or PCBs?
While it is impossible to guarantee that any salmon or other food on the market is 100% free from contaminants, Blue Circle Foods’ In the Blue feed contains cleaned fish oil, effectively removing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins, heavy metals, and other contaminants. The FDA allowable limit for PCBs is 2 ppm, and our salmon is tested annually by a third-party FDA approved laboratory to ensure it remains well under that number. The most recent results show that Blue Circle Foods Norwegian Atlantic Salmon has a PCB count that is barely detectable.
Is there mercury in our Norwegian Atlantic Salmon?
Research has shown that Atlantic salmon has some of the lowest mercury levels of seafood species. Even though the mercury levels in Atlantic salmon are very low, we are continuously monitoring and testing for environmental contamination. Blue Circle salmon contains barely detectible levels of mercury – an average of less than .0073 ppm. The levels allowed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is 1 ppm.
Is our Norwegian Atlantic Salmon gluten-free?
Yes, all of our Norwegian Atlantic Salmon is gluten-free.
Sustainable Seafood
What is aquaculture?
Aquaculture is defined as the breeding, rearing and harvesting of plants and animals in a variety of water environments. According to World Wildlife Fund’s 2015 Living Blue Planet Report, aquaculture now supplies 58 percent of the fish we eat, has kept the overall price of fish down, and has made protein and improved nutrition more accessible to communities around the world. Responsible aquaculture results in fish that equal the taste and nutritional profiles of wild fish without the potential exposure to environmental toxins.
How will sustainably-sourced fish help save wild ocean fish?
Overfishing has a drastic impact on ocean life. The world’s fish stocks are under significant pressure, with 31 percent classified as overfished, and a further 58 percent as fully fished. Responsible sourcing of both well-managed wild and farmed fish reduces the strain on wild populations and helps support a healthy ocean.
Our Feed
What do we feed our Norwegian Atlantic Salmon?
We feed our Norwegian Atlantic Salmon In the Blue, a sustainable aquaculture feed we created jointly with our farming partners and feed company BioMar. In the Blue uses recycled wild-caught trimmings from species like cod and herring, microalgae, and other responsibly sourced ingredients to reduce environmental impact and provide consumers with salmon that contains less contaminants and double the Omega-3 content of the industry standard.
Why is fish feed important?
Aquaculture, or fish farming, currently provides more than 50% of the world’s seafood, and that number will continue to grow. The Global Aquaculture Alliance predicts that, by 2030, 62 percent of all food fish will come from aquaculture. Fish farming is here to stay, making it critical to implement healthy and sustainable aquaculture practices, including improvements in fish feed. Traditional aquaculture feed relies on wild fish stocks like herring, mackerel and anchovies to supply marine ingredients such as fish oil and meal. Because of overfishing, these wild fish stocks have become increasingly depleted. Traditional feeds can also include genetically modified (GMO) grains. We saw an opportunity to make seafood healthier for consumers and for the environment by removing harmful ingredients from our aquaculture feed. Better feed equals better fish, which is why we only source feed that contains ingredients that improve the quality of our seafood and the health of our oceans.
How is In the Blue different from other aquaculture feeds?
Unlike traditional feeds, In the Blue uses sustainably sourced ingredients like microalgae and upcycled trimmings from fish already bound for human consumption to reduce reliance on wild fish stocks and increase the amount of heart and brain-boosting omega-3 fatty acids in our salmon. In the Blue is currently the only feed in the industry to use cleaned fish oil – this means we remove harmful contaminants like mercury and PCBs from our feed, resulting in a cleaner salmon and healthier ocean. In the Blue is non-GMO and free from antibiotics, added hormones and synthetic dyes.
How does our Norwegian Atlantic Salmon remove contaminants from the food chain?
Because Blue Circle Foods Norwegian Atlantic Salmon is only fed clean ingredients and is raised in the pristine waters of the Arctic Ocean, the resulting product contains extremely low levels of marine contaminants. Maintaining this high standard of aquaculture practices ensures the removal of harmful contaminants from the food chain
What kind of wild-caught trimmings does In the Blue feed use?
In the Blue only contains trimmings from producers that meet strict sustainability and quality standards. The current trimmings are sourced from a Marine Stewardship Council-certified herring fishery. In the Blue reduces waste and maintains record low fish in – fish out ratio (for every pound of fish that In the Blue uses, it produces two pounds of salmon) by using off-cuts and trimmings from fish already bound for human consumption.
Why does In the Blue contain cleaned fish oil?
Farmed salmon is naturally low in environmental contaminants, and to make our salmon even healthier, we clean the fish oil used in our feed to remove as many contaminants as possible. The contaminants are then incinerated and destroyed, removing them from the food chain entirely. In the Blue is currently the only feed in the industry that contains cleaned fish oil.
Online Orders
How do I track my order?
You will receive an email from the carrier with your tracking number once your order has shipped. Please refer to our Shipping Policy for further details. If you’re having trouble locating your order, please contact us hello@bluecirclefoods.com.
Which shipping services and carriers do you use?
We use FedEx and UPS. Please refer to our Shipping Policy and checkout page for rates.
How soon should I expect my shipment?
We prep our product for transit Monday-Wednesday to avoid weekend deliveries. Typically, your order will ship out on the day closest to your date of order. We send all packages using 2-day express shipping to ensure the product stays cold and arrives ready to enjoy!
How do you keep products cold during transit?
We use carefully measured dry ice based on the final destination of your package and the number of products in the shipment to keep things cold. Sometimes, the dry ice will dissipate during transit but if none is visible in your box, that’s ok. Use the touch test; if your product is cool to the touch, it is safe to eat or refrigerate for later use.
Are online orders shipped cooled or frozen?
Shipments are sent out frozen with dry ice to keep the products chilled. They may or may not arrive still frozen. Please refer to our Shipping Policy for details.
Are your shipments environmentally friendly?
Other frozen seafood brands use gel plastics to keep the fish cool, but we challenge the industry standard by using dry ice to reduce our use of plastics and incorporate compostable insulation in our shipments. This compostable insulation is made primarily from U.S. grown non-GMO cornstarch, an annually renewable resource. We add a recyclable, moisture-resistant barrier to insulation for more rigorous temperature control. Our boxes are completely recyclable, and each shipment is delivered within 1 -3 days to minimize time on the road.
What should I expect when my package arrives?
When a box arrives, carefully dispose of the dry ice, and unpack the goodies. Our product usually arrives frozen but can become somewhat thawed in transit – if it’s cool to the touch, it’s safe to eat. Everything can be stored in the freezer or fridge, depending on when you’re planning on enjoying it. If placing it in the fridge store toward the back of the fridge and eat within about a month. If freezing, enjoy within about 3-4 months. The plastic liner and box can be recycled in most states, and the insulation can be dissolved in water, burned, or composted.
What should I do if I need to change or cancel my order?
If you need to change or cancel an order, please email hello@bluecirclefoods.com as soon as possible. Per our Shipping Policy, if it has been more than 24 hours after you placed your order, we may not be able to cancel as the shipment may have already been processed.
What happens if my package arrives, but something is wrong?
If your order arrived damaged, please reach out to us right away at hello@bluecirclefoods.com with a quick note that includes your order number and an image of the damaged product. Please review our Refund Policy for further details about our process.
Do you offer a gift note service for online orders?
No, we do not offer a gift note service at this time. Thank you for your understanding.
Do you ship outside of the United States?
No, we do not ship outside of the United States.
How do I cancel, update, pause, or resubscribe to the subscription box?
We use a tool called ReCharge for our subscription service. When you sign up for a subscription, you are added to the ReCharge portal and will receive communications from ReCharge. Any changes to your subscription, including cancellation, can be made in the ReCharge portal. If you’re still struggling with your subscription, please reach out to hello@bluecirclefoods.com and we will be happy to help. Please note that we are not able to cancel subscriptions after they have been sent out.
Quality Assurance & Food Safety
Where can I find the lot number of the product?
The lot number can be found on the back of the packaging near the bottom edge.
Where can I find the expiry date of the product?
The expiration dates for our products can be found on the back of the packaging, either printed onto the packaging or stickered on.
Are your frozen fillets and shrimp safe to consume raw?
We do not recommend consuming our frozen fillets or shrimp raw.
Storage & Shelf Life
How do I store smoked salmon?
Our Smoked Salmon can be stored in the freezer or fridge, depending on when you’re planning on enjoying it. If storing in the fridge, enjoy within about a month. If freezing, enjoy within 3-4 months.
How long do Blue Circle Foods products last?
If your product was purchased at a retailer, look for a “best by” sticker for guidance on expiration date. If your product was purchased online from bluecirclefoods.com, it should be good for 3-4 months if kept frozen.
Availability
Where can I find Blue Circle Foods products?
Blue Circle Foods products are sold in fine retailers across the United States. Please use our Store Locator tool to find a store near you.
Where can I find Changing Seas products?
Our Changing Seas brand is sold exclusively at Whole Foods locations nationwide. Please use our Store Locator tool to find a store near you.
Ingredients & Allergens
Do Blue Circle products come into contact with any common allergens during processing?
Blue Circle products are produced in facilities free of dairy (with the exception of our Salmon Portions with French Butter), gluten, peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, and eggs.
Does Blue Circle Smoked Salmon contain added sugar?
Unlike most other brands, Blue Circle Foods Smoked Salmon contains no added sugar. We use superior technique and quality fish to overcome the need for excessive salt and added sugar.
Do Blue Circle Foods Salmon Burgers contain breadcrumbs?
Our salmon burgers are 98% fish and 2% spices. They contain no fillers, binders, or breadcrumbs.
Do Blue Circle Foods Happy Fish contain breadcrumbs?
Our Happy Fish are 98% fish and 2% spices. They contain no fillers, binders, or breadcrumbs.
