Fugu
[9] Researchers have determined that a fugu's tetrodotoxin comes from eating other animals infested with tetrodotoxin-laden bacteria, to which the fish develops insensitivity over time.
[10] Tetrodotoxin (TTX) is a natural product that has been isolated not only from pufferfish, but also octopuses, crabs, shellfish, frogs, newts, and other aquatic animals (see below).
[13] In the case of the pufferfish host, at least (see below), their insusceptibility to the poison is thought to result from cysteine asperagine amino acid substitutions in the sequence of their specific types of sodium channel proteins.
[12][15][16] In animal studies with mice, the median lethal dose of TTX was found to be 232 μg per kg body weight.
Fugu bones have been found in several shell middens, called kaizuka, from the Jōmon period that date back more than 2,300 years.
In western regions of Japan, where the government's influence was weaker and fugu was easier to obtain, various cooking methods were developed to safely eat them.
[21] In China, the use of the pufferfish for culinary purposes was already well-established by the Song dynasty as one of the "three delicacies of the Yangtze" (Chinese: 長江三鮮), alongside saury and Reeve's shad,[22] and appears in the writings of the polymath Shen Kuo[23] as well as in the encyclopedic work Taiping Guangji.
The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan provides a list[27] that shows which species' body parts can be consumed.
In 2016, the Chinese government abolished the permit system and allowed all restaurants to buy and serve farmed fish (without organs), now widely available.
There is no known antidote, and treatment consists of emptying the stomach, administering activated charcoal to bind the toxin, and putting the person on life support until the poison has worn off.
Between 1996 and 2006, statistics from the Tokyo Bureau of Social Welfare and Public Health indicate 20–44 annual incidents of fugu poisoning in Japan, some affecting multiple diners.
Some may also represent deliberate suicide attempts; Engelbert Kaempfer, a German physician who resided in Japan in the 1690s, reported that an unusually toxic variety of puffer was sometimes sought out by individuals who wished to take their own lives.
[39] On August 23, 2007, a doctor in Thailand reported that unscrupulous fish sellers sold puffer meat disguised as salmon, which caused fifteen deaths over three years.
The 35-year-old customer subsequently required hospital treatment for mild symptoms of tetrodotoxin paralysis, but made a full recovery.
[49] Although not as frequently consumed as in Japan and Korea,[citation needed] fugu is still considered a delicacy and served across restaurants in Beijing.
"[53] In Korean cuisine, edible pufferfish are prepared in various ways including gui (grilling), jorim (simmering), jjim, Bulgogi, Hoe (raw fish) and guk (soup).
Despite the comparatively lower consumption rate of the fish in comparison to other East Asian nations, the prevalence of fugu restaurants has experienced a significant surge across Chinese urban areas since 2016.
[36] Most Japanese cities have one or more fugu restaurants, perhaps in clusters because of earlier restrictions, as proximity made it easier when transporting the seafood delicacy so as to preserve its long-term freshness upon being served to potential patrons.
The fugu is cleaned of its most toxic parts in Japan and freeze-flown to the United States under license in clearly customized plastic containers.
Pufferfish native to American waters, particularly the genus Spheroides, have also been consumed as a seafood delicacy, sometimes resulting in poisoning incidents.
[55] In South Korea, fugu is known as bok-eo (복어), the seafood delicacy is very popular in southern port cities such as Busan and Changwon.
It is prepared in a number of ways resulting in a variety of dishes ranging from soups, raw fish and salads, all of which command a high price.
Pufferfish native to American waters, particularly the genus Spheroides, have also been consumed as a seafood delicacy, sometimes resulting in poisoning incidents.
In the Kansai region of Japan, the slang word teppō, (鉄砲) meaning musket, rifle or gun, is used for the fish.
A rakugo, or humorous short story, tells of three men who prepared a fugu stew but were unsure whether it was safe to eat.
The experiment included raising over 5,000 fish between the years 2001–2004, and analyzing the toxicity of muscle, skin, gonads, livers, and other organs.
The team concluded that the amount of tetrodotoxin in all those parts was non-toxic, and it would allow for the safe preparation of fugu-kimo (puffer liver).
As of 2012[update], most such fish is exported to Japan and South Korea, with a small domestic luxury market that has been operating under license since 2003.
