Salmon is a pretty tasty protein. Glaze it, bake it, poach it, grill it. Doesn't matter. It's always delicious.

But have you ever been cooking salmon and you see what can only be described as white gunk oozing out? Pretty gross, right?

Using powers of deduction, we usually assume the gunk is fat. We've all cooked bacon and seen the fat that can come out of it in the pan, so wouldn't it be the same for salmon?

The answer is no.

Keep reading to find out what the white "gunk" actually is!

The "white gunk" is actually a protein called albumin...and it's totally fine to eat. That means you don't have to scrape it off or dab it with a paper towel like so many people do. But it does mean you probably have dry salmon.

The albumin comes to the surface when the muscle fibers of the fish are cooked and it gets pushed to the surface. When you cook salmon to a temperature of 150 degrees, most of the moisture gets squeezed out of the fish.

Of course, it appears on salmon that's cooked perfectly as well. But not nearly as much.

Eating the albumin is in your best interest, as protein is an important part of your diet. But maybe throw a glaze or a crust on that fish so you don't see the white foam. It's unappetizing.

Did you know this is what the 'white gunk' was?