The world's worst food goes from bad to worse

24 January 2025

Often described as one of the worst tasting foods in the world, Iceland’s fermented shark could become an even rarer commodity in the near future. According to a veteran fisherman, rising costs, stricter regulations, and unpredictable weather have heavily impacted the curing process of shark meat. At the same time, knowledge of how to process it is passing away due to waning interest in the industry.

Shark hunting in Iceland dates back to the 14th century. Its boom was during the 19th century, when there was extensive demand for shark liver oil to use for lighting in Europe. In recent times, on the other hand, shark hunting around Iceland is very limited and sharks are usually caught unintentionally rather than specifically sought after. The infamous fermented shark, usually served in tapas-sized bites, is made from Greenland shark. This species can live to be 400-500 years old, is labelled as “vulnerable”, and remains a mystery to researchers – leaving doubt about the impact of the past years’ catch on the overall population. The shark’s meat is poisonous due to high concentrations of urea and trimethylamine oxide in its body, because it doesn’t have a urine system.

To consume the meat, it must go through a long processing method. First the meat is fermented for a few weeks to rid it of the toxic fluids and then hung to dry for several months. A rich smell of ammonia accompanies the fermentation process and the taste is one of a kind. Chef Anthony Bourdain, known for his culinary adventures, eloquently described his experience with fermented shark as "the single worst, most disgusting and terrible tasting thing."

Fermented shark and other Icelandic delicacies are traditionally served around this time in January to celebrate the month of "Þorri", the fourth month of winter in the old Norse calendar. Large parties, known locally as “Þorrablót”, are held to celebrate this month with tables full of traditional food and plenty of alcohol to drown the taste. Some other examples of traditional dishes served during Þorri are sour ram’s testicles, boiled sheep heads, dried fish, liver sausage, sour whale blubber, and smoked lamb meat.