POSTED: 5:52 p.m. PDT April 23, 2003

Wayne Havrelly
KIRO 7 Eyewitness News Consumer Investigator

You might get upset when you hear how many salmon filets in supermarkets get that nice pink color.

A class action lawsuit filed Wednesday says three major supermarket chains are keeping a dirty secret from you about farm-raised salmon.

Salmon farmers use a salmon color chart to decide what color they want their salmon to be. Now a lawsuit puts some grocery stores to task for not disclosing that.

When you're shopping for salmon, the color of the flesh is a major factor. Many believe a dark pink color equals freshness.

It turns out there may be something hiding in some fish with that coloring.

"When you look at this salmon fan here, what they're trying to do is say 'How dark do you want your salmon to be?' because the darker it is, the more money they can get when they sell it in the grocery store," said Paul Kampmeier, an attorney.

A Seattle attorney claims the largest supermarket chains in America are deceiving consumers by not labeling farm-raised fish as artificially colored.

Chemical additives are put into fish feed at salmon farms, and that's what gives some fish their nice pink color.

"When grocery stores fail to label, they deceive consumers and they unfairly inflate the sales of this product," Kampmeier said.

National class-action lawsuits were filed Wednesday against Safeway, Kroger -- which includes QFC and Fred Meyer stores -- and Albertson's for not labeling farm-raised salmon as artificially colored.

Federal laws say colored salmon must be labeled.

The director of the Washington Fish Farmers Association says the fish are dyed, but it's not harmful. It's similar to the dye that makes ketchup red.

"I'm gravely disappointed. I think that's deceptive, number one, and number two, I don't even agree with salmon that is farmed because of all the environmental issues," said Cindy Kester, a consumer.

MORE ON THIS STORY Washington Fish Growers Association More Info On The Lawsuit

Northwest salmon farms have long been controversial because critics believe the huge fish pens pollute the water and threaten our native salmon.

Now that controversy is bound to intensify over the unnatural way these fish get their color.

By the way, without the coloring, most farm-raised fish are gray.

We contacted officials at Albertson's, Safeway and the Kroger company. They won't comment on the lawsuits because they haven't had a chance to look at them. But they all insisted that their salmon is safe and wholesome.