The 320-kilometer journey is intended to replicate, in part, how Inuit and other Arctic peoples historically survived in extreme environments using traditional diets based almost entirely on meat. Researchers are also using the expedition to study how fermented and decomposing animal foods may affect gut health and microbiomes, News.Az reports, citing Science news.
Keen’s trek is being conducted in collaboration with scientists who will analyze biological samples collected during the journey, including stool samples from both Keen and his dog, as well as seal meat at different stages of decomposition.
***
The study is based on the idea that fermentation, a long-practiced method among Inuit communities, may have helped preserve meat and improve nutritional value. Traditional Inuit diets are estimated to consist of up to 98% animal products, with fermented meats known collectively as igunaq.
Researchers say that while modern Western perspectives often view such diets as unhealthy, historical evidence suggests Indigenous practices allowed communities to thrive for generations without widespread illness.
The expedition will also examine how microbes in the meat and human gut change over time, potentially revealing how ancient diets influenced digestion and health adaptation in extreme environments.
Scientists involved in the project say the findings could provide insight into how fermentation shaped human survival strategies and how gut microbiomes respond to abrupt dietary shifts.
