Cod livers

Cod livers are the oil-rich livers of cod-family fishes (Gadidae), the raw material behind cod liver oil and a food in their own right. Fresh or canned, they are prized in Nordic and Atlantic cuisines for their silky texture and mild flavour. Processors also turn them into cod liver pastes — seasoned with spices and flavourings, then canned or packed as sausages — for spreading on bread. Because the liver concentrates both nutrients and environmental contaminants, sourcing from clean waters and testing for heavy metals and dioxins are part of responsible production.