Muktuk

As muktuk - or depending on the region Maktaq ( in English- phonetic spelling Muktuk ), or in Greenland Mattak - is in Inuktitut general ( bowhead whale, beluga, narwhal ) refers to the skin of whales with the underlying ivory to pink fat layer ( rind).

Food

Muktuk is cut out in blocks of the whale skin. It has a higher concentration of vitamin C ( L-( )- ascorbic acid) as citrus fruits and was, therefore, the Inuit used to be a vital source of vitamins for the prevention of scurvy. As before, the Inuit see raw muktuk as a special treat; its taste is reminiscent of the nuts, as peeled almonds. Also, there is still a tradition to honor a young man who has killed his first whale ( beluga or narwhal ) to a meal of whale skin to a " muktuk hard " to invite.

To preserve muktuk is usually stored as air-dried or frozen.

For several years, is variously reported the consumption of whale products due to increasing pollution will increasingly problematic. As early as 1970, for example, were for measurements in Beluga meat and fat mercury concentrations above 0.5 ppm ( parts per million) have been found.

• Inuit
• Meat