Decades-Old Salmon Cans Offer a Time Capsule of Ocean Health
Researchers analyzed 178 cans of salmon dating from 1979–2021, turning decades-old inventory into a 42-year ecological dataset by counting anisakid worms. The study found parasite numbers rose over time in chum and pink salmon (stable in coho and sockeye), suggesting reproduction and a functioning food web, while the data also illustrate how preserved cans can reveal long-term signals of ocean health in the Gulf of Alaska and Bristol Bay. Worms pose no risk to humans after processing.