Stinkheads (tepa), fermented whitefish heads, are a traditional food of the Yup'ik peoples in southwest Alaska. A customary way of preparing them was to place fish heads and guts in a wooden barrel, cover it with burlap, and bury it in the ground for about a week. For a short while in modern times, plastic bags and buckets replaced the barrel, however this increased the risk of botulism. Presently, Yupik Eskimos typically ferment fishheads directly in the ground rather than in plastic to avoid the risk of botulism associated with the fermentation of animal products in plastic containers. [1][2]