Arctic Medical Research, Vol. 47: Suppl. 1, pp. 155-158, 1988 PCB'S AND NUTRIENTS IN BAFFIN ISLAND INUIT FOODS AND DIETS H. V. Kuhnlein (1) and D. Kinloch (2) School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, McGill University, Montreal (1J and Medical Services Branch, Health and Welfare Canada, Yellowknife (2), Canada Abstract.. The concern for arctic food chain contamination has resulted in the in­ vestigation of actual intake of such foods by an Inuit community on Baffin Island, NWT, and the assessment of polychlorinated biphenyls as well as beneficial long chain fatty acids and vitamin A activity. Food frequency and 24-hour recall dietary interviews dur­ ing September, 1985, for more than 90% of households and more than 75% of in· dividuals (n=312) was the sample size for this pilot study. 233 people (76% of the sample) recalled consumption of Inuit foods, with seal, caribou and narwhal account­ ing for 45.6% by weight of the Inuit food intake. Individual intake varied from 20 to a total of 2490 g/day, with those over 41 years of age consuming greater amounts than younger individuals. Narwhal and ringed seal were the primary contributors of PCB (94% of average intake at 46 µg/day). The blubber of these two animals were preferred foods in the Inuit food system during this time period and contained major amounts of PCB's, omega fatty acids, and retinal. PCB's in narwhal and seal blubber were 10.0 µg/g and 0.5 µg/g, respectively. Total omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids were 8.8% and 30.1% total fat, respectively. Retinal values were 2432 µg/100 g and 738 1'91100 g, respectively. It was concluded that the blubber of these two species contribute signi­ ficant amounts of PCB' s as well as long chain fatty acids and retinal to the diet of Inuit people. Arctic Medical Research, vol. 47: suppl. 1, pp. 155-158, 1988. Evidence has been mounting of contamination of the taminated Great Lake5 fish. Their infants expressed Arctic food chain with polychlorinated biphenyls as shortened gestation, decreased birthweight, and com­ well as other organic toxins and heavy metals. Residues promised neuromuscular development. These data from industrial activity in the "South" are thought to have prompted a particular concern for pregnant and migrate north by air and ocean current movement, lactating women. with early entry into the food chain via algae and fish. The community of Broughton Island, called Qiki­ This theory is supported by reports of Wagemann and qtarjuaq in Inuktitut, was selected on the basis of pre­ Muir (1) and Wong (2) who in 1984 and 1985 found a vious hunter harvest data which demonstrated that narrow range of PCB's within specie5 of various land this community had heaviest reliance on traditional and marine mammals across the Canadian Arctic. Inuit foods, especially the seafoods, of the Baffin Data regarding human accumulation of PCB's has communities (4). Broughton Island is a small island been lacking even though the environment accumula­ within the Arctic Circle, located just offshore the East tion is documented. Concern for and by native peoples Coast of Baffin Island, and due East of Ayuituk Na­ who rely heavily on traditional seafood resources tional Park. Marketed foods come into the community has resulted in the pilot study on PCB's and nutrients regularly by air, and by barge once per year. These are in the Inuit foods of Baffin Island which is here re­ sold in the one Hudson's Bay store on the island. The ported. foods, particularly fresh foods, are relatively limited in Research data on human toxicology for PCB's is quality and quantity and not within the financial reach fragmentary. Like DDT, major effects have been of the unemployed. Therefore, the traditional Inuit shown in animal studies, but are difficult to demon­ foods have financial as well as cultural reasons for re­ strate in human experiments. Jacobson and colleagues taining a prominent part of the diet of most Inuit peo­ (3) studied Michigan women who consumed con- ple in this area. Circumpolar Health 87 156 Health care engineering, housing and pollution METHODS The major traditional Inuit foods consumed during The community is comprised of 1000/o Inuit people, apart the month of September are shown in Table II, with the from a few teachers and service personnel, with 420~480 In­ percent by weight of total food intake. The major uit in the village at any one time. In our pilot study, 90% of foods consumed were seal (both ringed seal and beard­ the households were sampled, and 312 people interviewed, in­ ed seal), narwhal, caribou and crowberries. Seventy­ cluding 15 pregnant and/or lactating women. This evaluation took place in September 1985, using food frequency inter­ six percent of the respondents reported at least one views and 24-hour recall interviews of food intake. The inter­ item consumed in the day requested. The mean con­ views were conducted in lnuktitut by bilingual village women. sumption of these foods was 404 g with a range from Pregnant or lactating women were asked for three consecutive 20-2490 g wet weight. Other foods not used in days of dietary data; the others for just one day. Computa­ September, but known to be quantitatively important tions on dietary intake were completed at McGill University. Food samples were collected in the community and shipped in other seasons are Canada geese, several ducks, polar for analysis to three separate laboratories:for PCB's to the bear, harp seal and beluga whale. Freshwater Institute (Dr. Derek Muir) in Winnipeg; for fatty Table III shows the preliminary PCB levels, the total acids to the Department of Pediatrics at the University of intake represented in the dietary data and the total per­ British Columbia (Dr. Sheila Innis) and for retinal to the Health Protection Branch, Ottawa (Dr. Neville Thompson). cent PCB. The results are preliminary because some of these values are from a small number of samples. There is clearly a trend for the fatty tissues to ac­ RESULTS cumulate PCB (blubber 10.0, matak 1.0, meat 0.1 in The age and sex structure of those interviewed is shown narwhal). It is also shown that the sea mammals have in Table I. It can be seen that there were generally the same number of males and females, and that more than 80% of the population is under 40 years of age. Table Ill. PCB levels in traditional Inuit foods and % of total in September records Table I. Age structure: Broughton Island 1985 diet survey sample Total Total PCB food PCB M F Total Food (ppm) (g) (%) 0- 9 43 49 92 Narwhal 10-19 35 39 ( 3)* 74 - blubber 10.0 716 47.4 20-39 41 48 (10) 89 - matak 1.0 4780 31.6 40- 26 31 ( 2) 57 - meat 0.1 8993 5.9 R. Seal 145 152 (15) 312 - blubber 0.5 2386 7.5 - meat 0.01 24950 1.6 94% ) • Pregnant and/or lactating Walrus - blubber 0.25 711 1.2 - meat 0.01 3675 0.2 Table II. Major traditional Inuit foods consumed: Char - flesh 0.02 4132 0.7 September Caribou - meat 0.009 9755 0.6 % of Total - fat 0.5 179 0.6 Intake Crow berries 0.003 27693 0.6 98% Sea Mammals: Seal (ringed, bearded) 32.2 PCB "tolerance'': for fish= 2 ppm, if 30 g/day maximum intake for Narwhal 15.1 humans=1 uglkg b.w. Artie Char 4.4 Walrus 5.0 Mussels 0.7 Land Animals: Caribou 10.4 Table IV. Consumption of traditional Inuit animal Duck 0.1 Plant Foods: Crowberries 28.8 foods by women: September 1985 Kelp 2.1 Blueberries 1.1 Age n Mean Range Total 100 13-19 29 145 0-590 20-39 34 195 0-500 76% of respondents reported at least 1 item consumed. 40+ 30 366 0-620 Weight/day of total Inuit foods consumed ranged from 20 to Pregnant/Lactating 15 223 0-810 2,490 g wet weight. Circumpolar Health 87 Kuhnlein & Kinloch: PCB 'sand 11111ricnts in Inuit fo'Jds and diets 157 higher PCB levels than other foods, and that narwhal ally felt that l -20/o of daily energy should be in the and seal alone represent 94% of the PCB intake in the form of es~cntial fatt) acids, or 3-'.' g/day. diets assessed. The balance of the foods added only Retinol is vitamin A in its pure form, and is present another 4% to the total PCB intake. in high levels in these food fats. VHamin A is an essen­ Since women are of special concern in the project tial nutrient with broad functions: protection of visual because of the potential transfer of PCB 's to the fetus and ;i11ditory acuity, membrane integrity, and mucous and to the infant in lactation. Table IV presents the membrane defense against infection, among many mean and range of women's daily consumption of the other known functions. The adult needs approximate­ traditional Inuit animal foods. It can be seen that with ly \000 mg of retin0l per day. It can be seen that these increasing age, there is increasing mean intake, from foods in the qu:intities consumed, provided 10-150% 145 to 366 g. Pregnant or lactating women during this the amoum of retinol needed. time consumed a mean of 223 g, and had the greatest range of intake during the month. CONCLUSIONS The intake of fats from seal and narwhal were separated out of the dietary analysis and the quantities It is clear that large amounts of traditional Inuit foods eaten are given in Table V for women 20-40 years of are consumed by the people of Broughton Island.