Scientists Find Toxin in Puffer Fish From Two Fla. Rivers; Poison Blamed for Sickening 13 People

ap ^ | May 18, 2002

[SAJ]

All Japanese chefs who prepare fugu are licensed by the state, and only after a rigorous training course wherein they are required to sample their own preparations.

It's possible, of course, that there are (essentially) black-market establishments that offer fugu; I have no information on that point, but it's likely enough.

BTW, the active poison in the liver and other parts of the Asian puffer is tetrodotoxin, which acts in the same fashion as curare; it paralyzes the respiratory muscles (speaking broadly). Just as curare, in tiny doses it has certain medical applications.

[summer]

Re your post #2, and the following, from the article:

"In Florida, most such poisonings have been attributed to tetrodotoxin, the poison traditionally found in puffers."

I am wondering why AP considers this fact about puffer fish to be: "news."

[reformed_democrat]

I've heard it's wonderful stuff, but I found out about it's unpleasant side effects before I had a chance to taste it. I was always too chicken to sample it -- well, that and the fact that is was never a daily special at Kuru-Kuru Zushii (the original fast food -- the stuff goes by on a conveyer belt and you pluck what you want).

Kuru-Kuru Zushii was relatively inexpensive -- two pieces of tamago were only 50Y, and the most expensive was the real crab meat at 250Y. There were little spigots every few seats, and these dispensed ocha (very, very hot ocha). I sure miss that place. I wonder if there's a market for that out here . . .

[reformed_democrat]

LOL! That's Great! Is that from The Simpsons?

[The Electrician]

I'd be willing to bet that the fast-food sushi in Japan runs rings around the machine-made take-out fast-food sushi in NYC.

I've only visited Japan twice, but would like to do so again (and again)... BTW, I didn't buy the $200 fugu meal for myself - I was treated by the company that I was visiting (I had given a one hour presentation about software that I had co-developed)...

[reformed_democrat]

I love Japan. I'd live there if I could. But not up north. I like the area around Hiroshima (Miyajima, to be specific). My son loves it there -- he plans to join the Army, get stationed in Miyajima, marry a Japanese girl, and open a McDonalds (he hates sushi). Big plans for a ten year old.

[PsyOp]

wherein they are required to sample their own preparations.

I wouldn't have it any other way. But then, I've always prefered my sushi well cooked. Deadly poisonous or not.

[Redcloak]

Yes, it's from the episode "One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish".