Awareness, cultural importance, risk perception and consumption behavior – the issue of contaminants in pilot whales in the Faroe Islands

Pilot whale has for centuries been part of the traditional diet in the Faroe Islands; however, since the late 1970s, concerns about contamination have resulted in ongoing dietary advisories. This cross-sectional survey examines consumption frequency, cultural importance, risk perception and awareness of contaminants and advisories related to pilot whale in the Faroese population among residents aged 18-70 years randomly selected from the Faroese Population Registry. In all 1,492 respondents were included in the final analysis. The results indicate that most participants consume pilot whale meat to some extent, with 78% consuming dried and 65% consuming cooked pilot whale meat, although consumption patterns vary across demographic characteristics. Older age groups demonstrated significantly higher awareness of official dietary advisories and contaminants compared to the youngest age group (2008 advisory: 97% vs. 60%; 2011 advisory: 85% vs. 52%; contaminants: 100% vs. 89%), while the youngest age group expressed more positive attitudes toward the cultural importance of pilot whale (80% vs. 68%). These findings provide important insights into dietary behaviour and contaminant-related risks associated with pilot whale consumption in the Faroe Islands and highlight the need for risk communication and public health messaging that account for demographic differences and cultural importance.