A TRIBAL FOOD SAFETY INITIATIVE

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A TRIBAL FOOD SAFETY INITIATIVE

• A TRIBAL EFFORT TO INFORM FOOD CONSUMPTION
  DECISIONS
• John Persell, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe and Steve
  Smith, Minnesota Chippewa Tribe

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TRIBES PARTICIPATING IN THIS NATIONAL PILOT
PROJECT

• GRAND PORTAGE CHIPPEWA
• LEECH LAKE CHIPPEWA
• LITTLE RIVER OTTAWA
• MILLE LACS CHIPPEWA
• TURTLE MOUNTAIN CHIPPEWA
• WHITE EARTH CHIPPEWA

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WHY IS THE TRIBE CONCERNED ABOUT FISH AND OTHER
FOOD CONTAMINANTS

• THROUGH TREATIES WITH THE UNITED STATES, TRIBAL
  GOVERNEMNTS RETAINED RESOURCE USE RIGHTS.
• TRIBAL MEMBERS MAY HUNT, FISH AND GATHER WITHIN
  THEIR RESERVATIONS AND CEDED TERRITORIES
• CONTAMINANTS MAY POSE SERIOUS RISKS TO HUMAN
  HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT
• TRIBAL MEMBERS CONSUME MORE FISH AND WILD FOODS
  THAN THE GENERAL POPULATION.

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MAJOR CONTAMINANTS OF CONCERN MERCURY

• THE MCT LAB BEGAN ANALYZING FISH TISSUE FOR
  MERCURY IN 1992
• MERCURY IS A KNOWN TOXIN CAUSING NON-CARCINOGENIC
  IMPACTS AT VERY LOW BLOOD CONCENTRATIONS
• MERCURY IS MEASURABLE AT LOW LEVELS IN FISH.

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PCBS, DIOXIN AND DDT

• THE TRIBE BEGAN INVESTIGATING OTHER FISH
  CONTAMINANTS IN 1998
• PCBs, DIOXIN AND DDT WERE ANALYTICALLY SCREENED
  AS CONTAMINANTS OF CONCERN
• PCBS, DIOXIN AND DDT ARE CARCINOGENIC AND CAUSE
  NON CANCER IMPACTS AS WELL
• PCBS AND DDT WERE BOTH BANNED IN THE 1970S BUT
  CONTINUE TO PERSIST AS LEGACY POLLUTANTS

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HOW DO THESE CONTAMINANTS GET INTO FISH AND OTHER
FOODS

• TODAY, THE MAJOR PATHWAY FOR THESE CONTAMINANTS
  IS ATMOSPHERIC TRANSPORT
• SOME PBTs ARE MIGRATING FROM WARMER TO COLDER
  LATITUDES (PCBs) BUT GENERAL TRENDS FOR PCBs, DDT
  AND DIOXINs ARE DECREASING

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HOW DO THESE CONTAMINANTS GET INTO FISH AND
OTHER FOODS

• ONCE IN THE ENVIRONMENT THESE CONTAMINANTS
  BIOACCUMULATE AND MAGNIFY IN THE FOOD WEB
• LARGE PREDATORS, FISH OR WILDLIFE, GENERALLY HAVE
  THE GREATEST CONCENTRATION OF CONTAMINANTS
• BIOACCUMULATION OF CONTAMINANTS IS GREATER IN
  WATER FOODS CHAINS THAN ON LAND

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THE CONTAMINANTS

• EMERGING PBTs INCLUDE PBDEs (TOXICITY SIMILAR TO
  PCBs)

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THE TRIBES FOCUS ON CHILDREN AND ELDERS

• OLD ADAGE DOSE MAKES THE POISON NOT ENTIRELY
  VALID
• TIMING OF THE EXPOSURE IS CRITICAL
• SOME CHEMICALS CROSS PLACENTA AND MAY CONCENTRATE
  IN FETAL TISSUE (Timbrell, 2000)
• DIETHYLSTILOBESTROL (DES), THALIDOMIDE, ALCOHOL
  AND TOBACCO SMOKE ALL SHOW SIGNIFICANT ADVERSE
  HEALTH IMPACTS DURING DEVLOPMENTAL EXPOSURE
  (Selevan, 2000)
• FOOD CONTAMINANTS AND MEDICATIONS MAY NOT MIX

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THE IMPACTS

• EXTERNAL AGENTS THAT DAMAGE EMBRYONIC OR FETAL
  DEVELOPMENT CALLED TERATOGENS
• SOME FETAL CHEMICAL IMPACTS MAY NOT MANIFEST AT
  BIRTH, BUT LATER
• CLEAR ASSOCIATION BETWEEN IN UTERO DES EXPOSURE
  AND VAGINAL CANCER (Fowler, 1978 Kruse, 2003)
• LATER WORK SHOWS ASSOCIATION BETWEEN IN UTERO DES
  EXPOSURE AND REPRODUCTIVE CANCERS AND HYPOSPADIAS
  IN MALES (Klip, 2000)

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THE IMPACTS

• THE LIFETIME ALTERATION OF BIOLOGICAL FUNCTION BY
  CONDITIONS THAT ARE PRESENT DURING DEVELOPMENT
  CALLED PROGRAMMING
• CHILDREN 1 TO 5 YEARS EAT 3 TO 4 TIMES AS MUCH
  FOOD PER POUND OF BODY WEIGHT AS ADULTS (ATSDR,
  HHS) AND, CHILDREN TEND TO CONSUME MORE OF
  CERTAIN FOODS SUCH AS DAIRY FURTHER INCREASING
  THEIR DISPROPORTIONATE EXPOSURE (NRC)

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THE IMPACTS

• CHILDREN BREATH MORE AIR THAN ADULTS, POUND PER
  POUND ESTIMATED TWICE THAT OF RESTING ADULT
  (ATSDR, HHS, EPA)
• CHILDRENS ABILITY TO ELIMINATE AND EXCRETE
  CONTAMINANTS IS LESS WELL DEVELOPED THAN ADULTS
  UNDEVELOPED DETOXIFYING ENZYMES (Miller, 2002)

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THE IMPACTS

• FETAL EXPOSURE TO MERCURY CAN AFFECT THE
  DEVELOPING BRAIN WHILE THE MOTHER MAY EXPERIENCE
  NO OR MILD EFFECTS (Etzel, 1999)
• CDC REPORTS 8 OF CHILDBEARING AGE WOMEN IN U.S.
  CARRY A DANGEROUS MERCURY BODY BURDEN 325,000
  NEWBORNS A YEAR AT RISK (CDC, 2003)
• RISK EVEN GREATER FOR HIGH FISH INTAKE
  POPULATIONS, 20 to 80 (CDC, 1994 Env. Canada,
  2000)

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THE IMPACTS

• CHILDHOOD CANCERS IN U.S. INCREASED OVER THE LAST
  TWO DECADES MORTALITY RATES DOWN OVER THAT
  PERIOD
• ALL CANCERS IN CHILDREN UP 27.4 FROM 1973 TO
  1990
• SINCE 1990 ALL CANCERS INCIDENCE DECREASED IN
  BOYS BUT CONTINUES TO INCREASE IN GIRLS
• SOME CANCERS CONTINUE TO INCREASE IN YOUNG MEN,
  TESTICULAR UP 68 FROM 1973 TO 1994 (Etzel
  et.al., 2003)

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THE IMPACTS

• CANCER BELIEVED TO BE FRONT END LOADED
• SOME SCIENTISTS FOUND EARLY LIFE EXPOSURES TO
  CARCINOGENS A GREATER PORTION OF LIFETIME CANCER
  RISK, DUE TO ENVIRONMENTAL CARCINIGENS, THAN
  TOTAL EXPOSURE THROUGH LIFE (EPA, 2003)

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THE IMPACTS

• INVESTIGATORS REPORT INCREASES IN
  NEURODEVLOPMENTAL DISORDERS SUCH AS DYSLEXIA,
  MENTAL RETARDATION, ADD, AND AUTISM DATA ARE
  INSUFFICIENT TO SUSTAIN OR REFUTE THESE
  ASSERTIONS (Etzel et.al., 2003)
• DEVELOPMENTAL EXPOSURE OF RATS TO MERCURY AND
  PCBs TOGETHER DRAMATICALLY IMPACTED THE PUPS
  MOTOR SKILLS IN ONE OF THREE TESTS WHERE MERCURY
  OR PCBs ALONE HAD NO IMPACT (Schantz, 2004)

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WHAT MCT HAS ASSESSED

• 905 DISCRETE FISH MUSCLE TISSUE MERCURY ANALYSES
• 276 DISCRETE FISH TISSUE ORGANIC ANALYSES MUSCLE
  TISSUE, LIVER, EGGS
• 10 DISCRETE DEER TISSUE ORGANIC ANALYSES MUSCLE
  TISSUE AND LIVER
• 10 DISCRETE DUCK MUSCLE AND LIVER TISSUE ANALYSES
  
• 14 DISCRETE SNAPPING TURTLE
• 2 DISCRETE MOOSE MUSCLE AND LIVER
• 1 BEAR MUSCLE AND FAT ORGANICS
• 1WILD TURKEY MUSCLE ORGANICS

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WHAT WE FOUND

• MERCURY (0.01 to 1.6 ppm) and DDT (lt0.5 to 379
  ppb) MOST WIDELY DISRIBUTED AND PROBLEMATIC
• PCBs (lt0.1 to 145 ppt TEQ)
• DIOXIN/FURANS (0 to 6.0 ppt TEQ)
• DEER, MOOSE, DUCKS, PERCH AND PANFISH RELATIVELY
  UNCONTAMINATED

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RISK COMMUNICATION

• MERCURY USE EPA REFERENCE DOSE (Rfd) WITH
  APPROPRIATE CONSUMPTION QUANTITIES AND SAFETY
  FACTORS. MCT CURRENTLY PROTECTS TO A BLOOD
  CONCENTRATION OF 5 ppb. 5.8 ppb IS CURRENT EPA
  DEVELOPMENTAL EFFECTS THRESHOLD.

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RISK COMMUNICATION

• USE EPAS 2000 FISH CONSUMPTION GUIDANCE TO
  DEVELOP INDIVIDUAL AND CUMMULATIVE CONSUMPTION
  INFORMATION
• CONSULT SCIENCE LITERATURE, EPA ORD, WORLD HEALTH
  ORGANIZATION FOR COMMERCIAL FOOD CONTAMINANT
  INFORMATION (DIOXINs, PCBs and DDT ARE COMMON IN
  HIGH FAT FOODS SUCH AS DAIRY AND BEEF)

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RISK COMMUNICATION

• INCLUDE GENERAL INFORMATION ON TRADITIONAL AND
  COMMERCIAL FOODS
• INCLUDE MULTIPLE FISH SPECIES GUIDANCE LAKE BY
  LAKE AS POSSIBLE AND/OR AS NECESSARY
• INCLUDE INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO WOMEN OF CHILD
  BEARING AGE AND CHILDREN

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RISK COMMUNICATION

• THE IOM COMMITTEE ON DIOXIN RECOMMENDS ADDING
  INFORMATION ABOUT CANCER AND OTHER HEALTH
  PREVENTION BENEFITS TO THE CURRENT NUTRITION
  MESSAGE LINKING DIETARY SATURATED FAT REDUCTION
  WITH REDUCTION IN CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE

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RISK COMMUNICATION

• MERCURY FLUSHES FROM THE BODY IN SEVERAL MONTHS
  SO SHORT TERM DIET MODIFICATION CAN CHANGE TOXIC
  IMPACTS
• DIOXINs ARE STORED IN FAT OF HUMANS OVER TIME
  THESE STORED FATS ARE RELEASED TO THE FETUS AND
  NURSING INFANT

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RISK COMMUNICATION

• PREVENTION BEGINS WITH DIET MODIFICATION TO AVOID
  HIGH DIOXIN AND MERCURY FOODS THE EARLIER IN
  LIFE THE BETTER PARTICULARLY FOR FEMALES
• NRC RECOMMENDS MOVING BEYOND THE CURRENT APPROACH
  THAT LOOKS PRIMARILY AT ADULT EXPOSURES
• CONSIDER SENSITIVITIES OF DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES
• USE A CHILD PROTECTIVE FACTOR OF 10 WHERE DATA
  INCOMPLETE OR LACKING

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RISK COMMUNICATION

• FOR MANY TRIBAL LIFEWAYS RISK ASSESSMENTS,
  ADDITIONAL EXPOSURE, UNCERTAINTY AND SAFETY
  FACTORS ARE NECESSARY
• MANY TRIBAL MEMBERS EAT MORE FISH, SPEND MORE
  TIME OUTDOORS EXERT MORE ENERGY THAN THE
  GENERAL POPULATION

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WHAT EVERYONE CAN DO

• EAT HEALTHY
• ADVOCATE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND GLOBAL
  IMPLEMENTATION OF POLLUTION PREVENTION
  TECHNOLOGIES

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OUR THANKS

• To the Tribal Leadership as well as Tribal
  Environmental Quality and Natural Resource Staff
  for their assistance with and participation in
  this Tribal food safety initiative Grand
  Portage, Brad Frazier, Jay Clearwater Leech
  Lake, Shirley Nordrum, Jeff Harper Little River,
  Stephanie Ogren Mille Lacs, Perry Bunting,
  Leonard Sam Turtle Mountain, Archie Gronvold
  White Earth, Monica Hedstrom, Jeff Wark, Tim
  LaFriniere.

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We expect the Tribal Food Guide to be published
and available here in early August 2007.  Contact
John Persell at jpersell_at_lldrm.org if questions
or for further information.