When scanning the campus dining halls for something to eat, there is one protein that may seem to lack a presence ‘ fish. Sushi and tuna salad are available on a daily basis, but neither of those items have the same effect as, for example, a fillet of salmon.

According to the campus Executive Chef John Enright, Sodexo is attempting to increase the amount of fish served on campus.

‘We actually added more fish to the original menu,’ Enright said. ‘The menu included only one entree, one vegetable and one starch, so we added another entree option to give the students more variety.’

Fish is well-known for two things ‘ its high mercury levels and its omega-3 fatty acids. In the last four years, recent studies have shown that the benefits of omega-3 outweigh the risks of eating fish.

Omega-3 is an essential fatty-acid that is best consumed through food as opposed to vitamins.

According to the University of Maryland medical reference page, it can play a crucial role in brain function and helps prevent heart disease, high blood pressure and inflammation in the body. The most common fish providers of omega-3 are salmon, tuna, halibut and trout.

The American Heart Association suggests that a person is supposed to consume at least two servings of fish per week. During Sodexo’s 28-day menu cycle, fish is served 17 times, as opposed to chicken, which is served every day in multiple forms.

Furthermore, the fish served most on campus is cod, which is not nearly as rich in omega-3 as the others mentioned above.

‘Cod is largely accepted and less fishy than other fish,’ Enright said.

Mia Lee, an undeclared freshman, agrees with Enright.

‘Last week I ate breaded cod,’ Lee said. ‘It was like the chicken nugget version of fish, it’s tailored to fit everyone.’

Lee, who usually eats fish once a week at home, said the options on campus left her disappointed.

‘I don’t consider the sushi here to be real fish, and the tuna isn’t satisfying,’ she said.

Michael Klausner, a junior double-majoring in finance and biology and a former Sodexo employee, said that the company’s problems could stem from its inability to serve fresh food.

‘I think Sodexo has the potential to serve a lot of healthy food, but when it’s being mass prepared it loses its nutritional value,’ Klausner said. ‘It’s impossible to serve something healthy when it’s not fresh.’

According to Enright, Sodexo has become aware of student’s skepticism toward freshness. In previous years, Sodexo’s food provider delivered frozen salmon, but this year they only buy fresh salmon because the quality is significantly better.

Cost is another reason salmon is not served as frequently. Cod costs $2 to $3 each, compared to salmon which can cost more than $6 each.

Though to some students, like Lauren Kiesel, a freshman majoring in integrative neuroscience, it’s worth the money.

‘Food quality is more important than price,’ Kiesel said.

Kiesel, who is an avid fish eater at home, purchased a generous amount of sushi her first few weeks of school to make up for her usual habits.

However, some may not be as swayed by the health benefits. Surveys and focus groups conducted by Sodexo have shown that fish is not a preferred entree by the majority of the student body.

‘Statistically, when fish is served against other proteins, fish is the less popular choice majority of the time,’ Enright said.

Despite this, there is still a number of students who would choose fish over chicken.

Zoe Berman, a junior majoring in integrative neuroscience, eats fish, including sushi, at least three times a week at home. Berman has eaten salmon many times on campus and said she enjoyed it.

‘I could easily replace all protein with fish,’ she said.

Candace Young, a senior majoring in cinema, said she would easily choose fish over chicken. At home she eats fish three to four times a week, but not as often at school.

‘I would eat more fish at school if they changed the variety of preparation,’ she said.

According to Enright, because this issue has never been brought to Sodexo’s attention, his team has never felt inclined to change the menu. Students who are dissatisfied with what they eat can fill out comment cards, approach their chef managers or join a dining committee to help make that change.

‘The menu planner has to have a balance based on health and customer eating preferences,’ Enright said. ‘We encourage students to be part of the process; they have the ability to change what we do.’