Whale Meat: A Safe and Healthy Food?

Abstract

During recent international debates concerning the potential resumption of commercial whaling, whale meat has frequently been promoted as a good food. Recent research into the diet of Faroe Islanders and Inuit Indians has revealed that consumption of marine mammal tissues can cause them to exceed recommended intake levels for various pollutants. Whales throughout the world have been found to accumulate high concentrations of lipophilic compounds and, while the precise health risks associated are unclear, the findings for the Faroe Islanders and Inuits may prove not to be unique, particularly if commercial whaling is resumed. Reviews available data on contaminant values and related effects.

Citation

Simmonds, M.P. and Johnston, P.A. (1994), "Whale Meat: A Safe and Healthy Food?", British Food Journal, Vol. 96 No. 4, pp. 26-31. https://doi.org/10.1108/00070709410061050