If you’ve seen a white substance leak out of the flesh of your salmon while it is cooking, you may have wondered if it’s a sign of spoilage. Food & Wine reports that this white ooze — a protein called albumin — is safe to eat, and it’s just a simple side effect of cooking the fish incorrectly.

When salmon is cooked too quickly or at too high a temperature, albumin leaks from the fish in an unsightly manner. According to Food & Wine, reducing the cooking heat will keep the ooze from forming on the surface of the salmon while preserving the fish's overall texture.

You can also cook your salmon skin-side down to avoid this white ooze, although it may be tempting to raise the heat to get a crisp finish. As fish is easy to overcook, bring salmon to about 125°F for the best results.