Risks of animal-human cross infection from food consumption "wolf nipple chips anyone"

Apr 16 2004

Hungry? How about some bull testicles, or maybe some chameleon or guinea pig? Not to your liking? Well, in the world of food, what constitutes fine cuisine is a cultural determination. The French have horsemeat and frogs' legs, the Australians kangaroo and alligator, and the Chinese have water snake and civet cat.

But now, with concerns mounting over the possible links between exotic foods and emergent diseases, the world scientific community is viewing many of these dishes with increasing suspicion. What is the best way to safeguard the health of diners?

Dr. Josephine Smart, a University of Calgary anthropologist who studies food and its cultural associations, was recently invited by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta to provide her research expertise to a gathering of international scientists. The World Health Organization and other agencies have also solicited her advice.

"Scientists and public health professionals are increasingly concerned about the risks of animal-human cross infection from food consumption, and they are turning to social anthropologists for help in developing better policies and monitoring systems," Dr. Smart says. "Every culture in the world has a number of foods that come from what could be considered unusual animal sources, so this is an issue that will only
gain in profile."

Dr. Smart's research focuses on foods of the Hong Kong-South China region, an area she has been working in since 1983. China has come under particular scrutiny after researchers identified a link between civet cats and the outbreak of SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) last year. While the Chinese government has imposed a policy prohibiting the farming and selling of civet cats and other exotic animals, Dr. Smart argues that such policies cannot erase deep-rooted cultural practices in
food consumption overnight.

"I suggest that eradication and prohibition is probably not going to be that effective," she says. "You might see some localized effects, but what happens to the black market? What happens to private consumption?" Instead, a more effective and realistic strategy would be to regulate the consumption of certain non-domesticated species, she says.

"We are all coloured by our cultural upbringing about what constitutes appropriate categories of food, so that when we hear about Ecuadorians eating Guinea pigs, or Chinese eating civet cat or donkey, it sounds strange and unacceptable." But in China, not only are such exotic foods acceptable, they are considered a status symbol and an integral part of maintaining good health.

Dr. Smart presented a paper in March at the International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases, titled "Development, Conspicuous Consumption, Food Symbolism and Emergent Infectious Disease Risks in China."

She is available for interviews this morning at Cheers Acupuncture and Herbs, 1623 Centre Street NW, (Central Landmark shopping centre) between 10-11:30 am. For more information, contact Greg Harris, media relations, (403) 220-3506, or cell, (403) 540-7306. Dr. Smart can also be reached later at her office, (403) 220-6774.