Towards a better understanding of the benefits and risks of country food consumption using the case of walruses in Nunavik (Northern Quebec, Canada)
Food insecurity affects Inuit communities. One solution is to consume locally harvested foods, named country foods. However, some country foods are not eaten as often as before, and pressures including contaminants and environmental changes threaten the health of Arctic fauna, thus its suitability f...
Published in: | Science of The Total Environment |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
Format: | Other/Unknown Material |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Elsevier BV
2020
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11794/38374 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137307 |
id |
ftunivlavalcorp:oai:corpus.ulaval.ca:20.500.11794/38374 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftunivlavalcorp:oai:corpus.ulaval.ca:20.500.11794/38374 2024-06-23T07:50:53+00:00 Towards a better understanding of the benefits and risks of country food consumption using the case of walruses in Nunavik (Northern Quebec, Canada) Martinez-Levasseur, Laura M. Lemire, Mélanie Avard, Ellen Furgal, C. (Chris) Simard, Manon Burness, Gary P. Bertrand, Philip Suppa, Sandy Nunavik (Québec) 2020-03-26T13:29:10Z application/pdf https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11794/38374 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137307 eng eng Elsevier BV 0048-9697 http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11794/38374 doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137307 32143094 http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2 Contaminants Trichinella nativa Botulism Inuit knowledge Atlantic walruses Morse Inuits -- Alimentation Polluants Trichinella Botulisme Viande -- Contamination Gibier (Aliment) article de recherche COAR1_1::Texte::Périodique::Revue::Contribution à un journal::Article::Article de recherche 2020 ftunivlavalcorp https://doi.org/20.500.11794/3837410.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137307 2024-06-10T23:42:53Z Food insecurity affects Inuit communities. One solution is to consume locally harvested foods, named country foods. However, some country foods are not eaten as often as before, and pressures including contaminants and environmental changes threaten the health of Arctic fauna, thus its suitability for local consumption. By combining Inuit Knowledge with laboratory data, our study assessed the benefits and risks of walrus consumption by Inuit in Nunavik, Québec, Canada. It aimed to increase understanding of: 1) the hunt of healthy Atlantic walruses (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus); 2) the safe preparation of walruses; 3) the nutritional benefits and risks of consuming walruses. To do so, we interviewed 34 hunters and Elders from Nunavik. Levels of mercury, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and selenium were evaluated from locally harvested walruses. Through the Nunavik Trichinellosis Prevention Program, a total of 755 Atlantic walrus samples, collected between 1994 and 2013, were tested for Trichinella nativa. Information on botulism was reviewed. While interviews informed on how to select healthy walruses and prepare them for consumption, laboratory analyses revealed that walruses had elevated levels of omega-3 fatty acids and selenium but low levels of mercury compared to some other wildlife. Only 3% of the 755 walruses were infected with T. nativa. Most walruses' infections were found within individuals from the South East Hudson Bay stock, where Inuit have thus decided to stop hunting since mid-2000s. Finally, although the number of outbreaks of trichinellosis related to the consumption of walruses has significantly reduced in Nunavik, botulism could continue to be an issue when igunaq (i.e. aged walrus) is not properly prepared. With the support of the Nunavik Trichinellosis Prevention Program and transmission of Inuit knowledge on igunaq preparation, the consumption of Atlantic walruses has the potential to help address issues related to food insecurity in Nunavik in the future. Other/Unknown Material Arctic Hudson Bay inuit inuits Odobenus rosmarus morse Nunavik walrus* Université Laval: CorpusUL Arctic Canada Hudson Hudson Bay Morse ENVELOPE(130.167,130.167,-66.250,-66.250) Nunavik Science of The Total Environment 719 137307 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Université Laval: CorpusUL |
op_collection_id |
ftunivlavalcorp |
language |
English |
topic |
Contaminants Trichinella nativa Botulism Inuit knowledge Atlantic walruses Morse Inuits -- Alimentation Polluants Trichinella Botulisme Viande -- Contamination Gibier (Aliment) |
spellingShingle |
Contaminants Trichinella nativa Botulism Inuit knowledge Atlantic walruses Morse Inuits -- Alimentation Polluants Trichinella Botulisme Viande -- Contamination Gibier (Aliment) Martinez-Levasseur, Laura M. Lemire, Mélanie Avard, Ellen Furgal, C. (Chris) Simard, Manon Burness, Gary P. Bertrand, Philip Suppa, Sandy Towards a better understanding of the benefits and risks of country food consumption using the case of walruses in Nunavik (Northern Quebec, Canada) |
topic_facet |
Contaminants Trichinella nativa Botulism Inuit knowledge Atlantic walruses Morse Inuits -- Alimentation Polluants Trichinella Botulisme Viande -- Contamination Gibier (Aliment) |
description |
Food insecurity affects Inuit communities. One solution is to consume locally harvested foods, named country foods. However, some country foods are not eaten as often as before, and pressures including contaminants and environmental changes threaten the health of Arctic fauna, thus its suitability for local consumption. By combining Inuit Knowledge with laboratory data, our study assessed the benefits and risks of walrus consumption by Inuit in Nunavik, Québec, Canada. It aimed to increase understanding of: 1) the hunt of healthy Atlantic walruses (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus); 2) the safe preparation of walruses; 3) the nutritional benefits and risks of consuming walruses. To do so, we interviewed 34 hunters and Elders from Nunavik. Levels of mercury, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and selenium were evaluated from locally harvested walruses. Through the Nunavik Trichinellosis Prevention Program, a total of 755 Atlantic walrus samples, collected between 1994 and 2013, were tested for Trichinella nativa. Information on botulism was reviewed. While interviews informed on how to select healthy walruses and prepare them for consumption, laboratory analyses revealed that walruses had elevated levels of omega-3 fatty acids and selenium but low levels of mercury compared to some other wildlife. Only 3% of the 755 walruses were infected with T. nativa. Most walruses' infections were found within individuals from the South East Hudson Bay stock, where Inuit have thus decided to stop hunting since mid-2000s. Finally, although the number of outbreaks of trichinellosis related to the consumption of walruses has significantly reduced in Nunavik, botulism could continue to be an issue when igunaq (i.e. aged walrus) is not properly prepared. With the support of the Nunavik Trichinellosis Prevention Program and transmission of Inuit knowledge on igunaq preparation, the consumption of Atlantic walruses has the potential to help address issues related to food insecurity in Nunavik in the future. |
format |
Other/Unknown Material |
author |
Martinez-Levasseur, Laura M. Lemire, Mélanie Avard, Ellen Furgal, C. (Chris) Simard, Manon Burness, Gary P. Bertrand, Philip Suppa, Sandy |
author_facet |
Martinez-Levasseur, Laura M. Lemire, Mélanie Avard, Ellen Furgal, C. (Chris) Simard, Manon Burness, Gary P. Bertrand, Philip Suppa, Sandy |
author_sort |
Martinez-Levasseur, Laura M. |
title |
Towards a better understanding of the benefits and risks of country food consumption using the case of walruses in Nunavik (Northern Quebec, Canada) |
title_short |
Towards a better understanding of the benefits and risks of country food consumption using the case of walruses in Nunavik (Northern Quebec, Canada) |
title_full |
Towards a better understanding of the benefits and risks of country food consumption using the case of walruses in Nunavik (Northern Quebec, Canada) |
title_fullStr |
Towards a better understanding of the benefits and risks of country food consumption using the case of walruses in Nunavik (Northern Quebec, Canada) |
title_full_unstemmed |
Towards a better understanding of the benefits and risks of country food consumption using the case of walruses in Nunavik (Northern Quebec, Canada) |
title_sort |
towards a better understanding of the benefits and risks of country food consumption using the case of walruses in nunavik (northern quebec, canada) |
publisher |
Elsevier BV |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11794/38374 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137307 |
op_coverage |
Nunavik (Québec) |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(130.167,130.167,-66.250,-66.250) |
geographic |
Arctic Canada Hudson Hudson Bay Morse Nunavik |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Canada Hudson Hudson Bay Morse Nunavik |
genre |
Arctic Hudson Bay inuit inuits Odobenus rosmarus morse Nunavik walrus* |
genre_facet |
Arctic Hudson Bay inuit inuits Odobenus rosmarus morse Nunavik walrus* |
op_relation |
0048-9697 http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11794/38374 doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137307 32143094 |
op_rights |
http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/20.500.11794/3837410.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137307 |
container_title |
Science of The Total Environment |
container_volume |
719 |
container_start_page |
137307 |
_version_ |
1802641834591125504 |