Wednesday, 12 March 2008

The Deadly Puffer Fish

Informative Post
March 12th, 2008
by C.Olvera

The puffer fish is a delicacy in Japan and a single serving can cost more than a $100. It tastes great, but could it kill you? There are 120 different species of the Puffer fish, which is also known as globe fish, swellfish and blowfish. The general name for the fish in Japan is fugu. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration states that the puffer fish can “produce rapid and violent death”.

Chefs must get a special license from the Department of Health in order to serve the puffer fish. In order to get this license they have to pass a written exam, prepare the fish using their technique and then eat it. Only 25% pass the test. I assume that if they die, they don’t pass.

What makes the puffer fish so poisonous? The fish contains a neurotoxin called tetrodotoxin. If the fish is not prepared properly and too much of this poison is ingested the end result is not good.

Even if Chefs are careful and take special care in preparing the puffer fish it could still cause numbness in the tongue or lips when eaten. More serious effects include headaches, nausea, vomiting and paralysis of the face and extremities. The most severe effects include acute paralysis, respiratory distress, convulsions, cardiac arrhythmia, speech impairment and death. The effects happen quickly and death can occur within one hour.

In September of 2007 a 23 year old man and a 13 year old boy, both from Cambodia, died after eating the puffer fish. The Takeo province governor banned the trade of the fish to prevent anymore deaths.

Despite the danger, the demand for the puffer fish continues to increase. There is actually a threat of the fish becoming extinct. So why are so many people willing to risk death just to eat this fish?

1 comment:

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