Course:FNH200/Projects/2026/Endangered Foods - Beluga Whale

Introduction and History

Beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) is a marine mammal found in Arctic waters. In Canada, beluga populations are found across several Arctic regions, including Hudson Bay, James Bay, and Ungava Bay. Known as qilalugaq in Inuktitut , beluga has long been an important traditional food for Inuit communities across the Canadian Arctic, providing an important source of nutrition while also holding cultural significance.

Beluga whale or Delphinapterus leucas

For generations, Inuit communities have harvested beluga as part of their traditional food systems. The relationship between Inuit communities and beluga has developed alongside knowledge of the Arctic environment, seasonal changes, and the use of different parts of the beluga. Today, beluga remains a traditional food in many Inuit communities, while changes in the environment and beluga populations have created new considerations surrounding its continued use.

Beluga provides an example of the relationship between food, people, and the environment. This article examines beluga through its nutritional value, cultural significance, food safety, hunting and preparation practices, and the conservation and preservation of the species alongside the food traditions.

Cultural Significance

Beluga whales are culturally significant to many Indigenous peoples across the Arctic, including communities in the Canadian Arctic, Greenland, and Alaska . For many Inuit communities, beluga hunting has historically provided an important food source and role in contributing to food security for communities. Harvested whales are typically shared among community members ensuring food for each family.

Inuit elders eating maktaaq, the outer skin and blubber of beluga

Inuit hunters have developed rich knowledge of beluga behaviours becoming critical for safe and successful hunting. For Inuit, belugas are more than a source of food, instead seen as sentient beings where proper relationships must be maintained so whales return each year making themselves available to hunters. Although Inuit hunters have adopted modern tools, traditional tools such as harpoons are used to secure a struck whale and reduce the likelihood of lost whales. A harvest beluga can provide a substantial quantity of food, with one providing an estimated 335kg of edible parts .

The skin and attached layer of blubber in whales is a traditional delicacy in the Arctic and an integral part of culture, which is called Maktaaq in Inuktitut. The hunting of beluga whales extends beyond subsistence alone. Beluga hunting also supports intergenerational transmission of knowledge about hunting and processing, helping maintain Inuit cultural traditions and relationships with belugas and the environment. .

Nutritional Value

A large beluga provides a significant amount of food, up to nearly 20,000g of meat, 50,000g of maktaaq, and 30,000, and 250L of oil. The photo below provides a brief overview of the nutritional value of various beluga whale products.

Beluga whale meat in particular provides an excellent source of protein and iron. Beluga whale oil is primarily made up of monounsaturated fatty acids. A 15ml serving (equivalent to 13.8g) contains 2g of saturated fatty acids, 7.48g of monounsaturated fatty acids, and 1.49g of polyunsaturated fatty acids. The table below provides a more specific comparison of the nutritional content of some beluga whale products. All the values below were retrieved from the website Nutrition Value, the comparison table is available here .

Nutrient	Raw Meat	Dried Meat	Raw Liver	Raw Flipper	Eyes	Oil
Quantity	100g	100g	100g	100g	100g	15ml
Calories	111	327	117	271	291	124.2
Proteins	26.50g	69.86g	18.40g	19g	19.60g	0g
Carbohydrates	0g	0g	2g	0g	0g	0g
Fats	0.50g	5.34g	3.90g	21.70g	23.30g	13.80g
Cholesterol	80mg	122mg
Vitamins
Vitamin A	102mcg			279mcg	561mcg	95mcg
Thiamin	0.01mg	0.04mg				0mg
Riboflavin	0.18mg	0.52mg				0mg
Niacin	5.39mg	15.20mg				0mg
Pantothenic Acid	0.59mg	1.68mg
Vitamin B6	0.05mg	0.13mg
Vitamin B12	2.59mcg	7.31mcg				0mcg
Folate	4mcg	10mcg
Vitamin D						0.79mcg
Vitamin E		0.27mg				1.14mg
Vitamin K	0mcg	1.30mcg				0.30mcg
Betaine	13.80mg	23.80mg
Choline	35.10mg	131.70mg
Minerals
Calcium	7mg	22mg	11mg	11mg		0mg
Copper	0.11mg	0.32mg				0mg
Iron	25.90mg	72.35mg		2.80mg		0mg
Magnesium	22mg	63mg				0mg
Manganese	0.05mg	0.13mg				0mg
Phosphorus	239mg	549mg	230mg	153mg	187mg	0mg
Potassium	283mg	800mg				0mg
Selenium	36.50mcg	103mcg				0.41mcg
Sodium	78mg	220mg				0mg
Zinc	2.76mg	7.80mg				0mg

Food Safety

Food safety is important when preparing and storing beluga whale. One of the main concerns is food-borne botulism, a serious illness caused by toxins produced by Clostridium botulinum. Traditionally prepared whale and other marine mammal meat can become a source of botulism if it is not prepared or stored properly.

The risk is especially important when beluga meat is aged. C. botulinum can grow in warm and moist environments with little or no oxygen. The Government of Northwest Territories recommends aging beluga in a very cool place and using containers that allow air to enter. If beluga is aged in oil, the meat should also be stirred regularly so that it can contact the air. Botulism is difficult to detect because contaminated food may not show clear changes in color, smell, or taste.

Another food safety concern is environmental contaminants. Beluga can contain mercury and other pollutants that enter Arctic marine food webs. Research has found mercury in beluga liver, kidney, muscle, and mukluk, with the amount varying between body parts, locations, and individual whales. Food preparation may also affect the levels of some nutrients and contaminants in beluga products.

Although these risks are important, beluga is also a valuable traditional food and source of nutrients. Therefore, safe preparation, proper storage, contaminant monitoring, and local health advice are importang of reducing food safety risks while maintaining the nutritional and cultural value of beluga.

Conservation Challenges

Habitat

St. Lawrence beluga and calf

Beluga whales are found mostly in the Arctic Ocean and the sub-Arctic waters, around the coast of Canada, Alaska, Russia, and Greenland. During the warm summer months, they often travel southward into rivers, being found as south as the St. Lawrence Estuary.

Conservation Status

In 2017, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classified the beluga whale as a species of least concern (LC) in their Red List of Threatened Species, citing the abundance of subpopulations (21 in total) and an estimated worldwide population of over 200,000 as factors for their decision.

However, according to the Species at Risk Act of Canada, 4 subpopulations of beluga whales inhabiting Canadian territorial waters are classified as either endangered, threatened, or are being considered for classification. These include the Cumberland Sound population, Eastern Hudson Bay population, St. Lawrence Estuary population, and the Ungava Bay population, with the Ungava Bay population considered most at risk with a population of around 32 individuals.

In addition, according to the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC), an independent committee of wildlife experts that studies endangered animals, the Ungava Bay population of beluga whales might be extinct, with 3 other populations considered endangered, threatened, or of special concern due to unsustainable whaling and hunting.

These findings highlight that while the global population of beluga whales might not be at risk of extinction, certain populations in Canada, especially those living close to human settlements, are endangered, which could make it increasingly difficult for many Inuit people to find beluga whales to hunt, especially in a sustainable manner. This threatens the perseverance of this culturally significant food, risking the loss of this important tradition as well as intergenerational hunting and preparation practices.

Hunting, Processing, & Cooking

Hunting

Beluga whales migrate in a predictable seasonal pattern, the hunting of beluga whales coincides with this and occurs during the spring and the fall . Although many hunters prefer the taste of the smaller belugas they often decide on the larger whales due to the larger yield of food . Hunters tend to avoid whales with injuries, signs of disease, pregnant whales, and whales traveling with calves . Some equipment hunters use includes, canoes, a harpoon attached to a float, ropes, retrieving hooks, and various types of rifles . The hunters often use methods of hunting that reduce the amount of injured and lost whales in order to be as humane as possible . The hunters attempt to kill the beluga with one shot after it surfaces, aiming for the brain or upper spinal column . The way a hunter would go about taking this shot changes with the season, in the spring the belugas float after being shot, and in the fall the hunters must time their shot after the beluga takes a breath so it does not sink . After being hunted the beluga is tied to the canoe and brought back to shore

Processing

After the beluga has been hunted and brought to shore it can be butchered . Many avoid butchering on the sand, because the sand can cause grittiness and contaminate the food . The butchering process is one based in traditional knowledge that has been passed down, without the use of power tools . The first step is to remove the mattaaq, which is the skin of the beluga and the attached fat layer underneath, as well as the blubber at the same time . The mattaaq and the blubber are cut into vertical strips . The meat, intestines, tail, pectoral fins and spine are removed next . If possible the hunters may give the remains to others who own sled dogs, and if the beluga is in a remote location they may leave the carcass on the shore .

Mattaaq

Mattaaq refers to the skin and attached fat layer of the beluga whale . It can be consumed raw, boiled, frozen, or aged .

Nikku

Nikku refers to air dried beluga meat . Many often drain the blood from the meat over one to two days and slice the meat into thin strips before seasoning the strips and hanging it on a rack to dry outdoors . After drying, nikku is often stored frozen to prevent spoilage .

Misaraq & Igunaq

Misaraq refers to aged blubber and igunaq refers to aged flippers and fluke . Both misaraq and igunaq are prepared using similar methods and are often prepared together during the spring . In order to prepare misaraq the blubber is first cut into cubes before being placed into a food safe container or a bucket lined with plastic . The container would then be placed somewhere with a stable temperature and no exposure to sunlight . The container should not have an airtight lid to allow for aerobic fermentation, but should be covered to prevent contamination . The time the blubber is left to ferment is up to hunters discretion and is often dependent on the weather and personal preference . The blubber will become liquified in this process and the resulting mattaaq will be used as a dipping sauce . After boiling the tissue/meat from the beluga, the hunters allow for the meat to cool before adding it to the container or bucket holding the blubber, where both the misaraq and ignaq will be fermented over several weeks . The igunaq is removed from the misaraq and they are often eaten separately .De

Intestines

The intestines of the belugas are often consumed dried or as sausages . After cooking the intestines they are hung outside to dry during the spring, or inside during the fall . The sausages are prepared after the hunters cut them, clean them with salt water, and turn them inside out . The hunters then add small pieces of mattaaq into the intestines and each end is tied with string. The sausages can be boiled, smoked, dried or frozen . This is a new way of preparing the beluga meat, not based in tradition but inspired by imported sausage from grocery stores .

Potential Exam Question

How is beluga whale traditionally prepared or eaten in Inuit communities? Check all that apply.

A. Eaten raw

B. Boiled

C. Fermented/aged

D. Made into sausage

E. Dried

F. Deep Fried

G. Frozen

Answer key: Correct answers: A,B,C,E,G

Question

How is beluga whale traditionally prepared or eaten in Inuit communities? Check all that apply.

A. Eaten raw

B. Boiled

C. Fermented/aged in a sealed container

D. Made into sausage

E. Dried

F. Deep Fried

G. Frozen

F. Fermented/aged in a non-airtight container

Correct answers:

A,B,C,E,G

Justification:

We think this question should be included in the final exam as it highlights the cultural importance of beluga whales to certain cultures, such as Inuit. It also helps students learn about traditional food practices and preparations, which not many may know about. Many of the ways the Inuit people prepared beluga based in traditional knowledge adheres to many food science concepts including preservation and storage. The inclusion of answers C. And F. showcases one’s understanding about fermentation, and the need for airflow to encourage aerobic fermentation while reducing the risk of clostridium botulinum.

Conclusion

The use of beluga as a traditional food reflects the close relationship between Inuit communities and the Arctic environment. Its nutritional value and cultural significance have made it an important part of Inuit food systems. At the same time, food safety concerns, particularly those related to preservation and contaminants, must be considered when consuming beluga. Conservation challenges further complicate the future of this food, as the status and endangerment of certain populations in Canada can affect continued access to beluga for Inuit communities. Together, these aspects show the complexity of beluga as a traditional food and the many factors that influence its continued consumption, even as some populations face serious conservation concerns.