a generally appealing flavor. Seafood Watch ranks farmed rainbow trout as a "Best Choice" fish for human consumption. In Montana, it is illegal to sell or market wild-caught rainbow trout, which are legally classified as game fish. The color and flavor of the flesh depend on the diet and freshness of the trout. Farmed trout and some populations of wild trout, especially anadromous steelhead, have reddish or orange flesh as a result of high astaxanthin levels in their diets. Astaxanthin is a powerful antioxidant that may be from a natural source or a synthetic trout feed. Rainbow trout raised to have pinker flesh from a diet high in astaxanthin are sometimes sold in the U.S. with labeling calling them "steelhead". As wild steelhead are in decline in some parts of their range, farmed rainbow trout are viewed as a preferred alternative. In Chile and Norway, rainbow trout farmed in saltwater sea cages are sold labeled as steelhead. Trout can be cooked as soon as they are cleaned, without scaling, skinning, or filleting. If cooked with the skin on, the meat tends to hold together better. While trout sold commercially in Europe is often prepared and served this way, most trout sold commercially in the United States have the fish heads removed and have been fully or partially deboned and filleted. Medium to heavy-bodied white wines, such as chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, or pinot gris, are typical wine pairings for trout. In Mainland China since 2018, it was ruled by an industrial association that rainbow trout can be labelled and sold as salmon. Water purification Rainbow trout is sometimes used as a biological indicator for water quality in water purification facilities. References Further reading Review, Interviews Scott and Crossman (1985) Freshwater Fishes of Canada. Bulletin 184. Fisheries Research Board of Canada. Page 189. External links Oncorhynchus Freshwater fish of Asia Freshwater fish of North America Freshwater fish of the United States Fish of Canada Fish of the Pacific Ocean Fish of the Western United States Cold water fish Commercial fish Fauna of the Rocky Mountains Fauna of the Sierra Nevada (United States) Fish described in 1792 Taxa named by Johann Julius Walbaum Holarctic fauna