Fermented marine foods of the indigenous arctic people (Inuit) and comparisons with Asian fermented fish

Abstract

The Inuit, sometimes referred to as Eskimos, are indigenous people to the remote circumpolar regions of the northern hemisphere that remain relatively inaccessible to outsiders. The traditional diet consisted almost entirely of raw animal foods eaten fresh, dried, or fermented and was similar to the diets of wild carnivorous animals. From the 1950s onward, the Inuits gradually adopted Western foods. With the adoption of a more Western diet, there has also been a corresponding increase in Western diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and some cancers. Asians have also consumed salted fermented fish, but the fermented fish are different due to environmental temperatures. Although the microbial content of Inuit fermented foods is uniquely different from that of Asian fermented foods, Asian and Inuit fermented foods appear to be similarly important for supporting gut and immune health. The benefits of Asian fermented fish for improving the biodiversity of the microbiome and the generation of bioactive amines from proteins may be similar to the fermented marine foods of the Inuits. This study reviewed traditional fermented fish consumed by the Inuit people and Asians, highlighting various aspects that can offer valuable insights into the nutritional, cultural, and health dimensions of these practices.