Puffer fish and its consumption: To eat or not to eat?

Abstract

This systematic review was done to examine the substantial increase in the number of intoxication cases in puffer fish associated with tetrodotoxin. In the past 5 years, 430 cases of intoxication and 52 deaths associated with puffer fish have been reported worldwide. It has also been verified that puffer fish have migrated to different regions, which has led to a negative environmental impact. Based on the information obtained herein, consumption of puffer fish should be legally limited, although it still remains very popular in several regions with negative social and economic impacts.

The Exploitation of Toxic Fish from the Terminal Pleistocene in Maritime Southeast Asia: A Case Study from the Mindoro Archaeological Sites, Philippines

“…The Tetraodontoidei suborder (Diodontidae and Tetraodontidae) and, more generally, Tetraodontiformes are highly derived teleosts (bony fishes) with extremely modified skin appendages and exhibit morphological diversification both in terms of their craniofacial and dermal skeletons [ 36 ]. As a defense mechanism, their spines erect, and their body inflates and eventually swells like a balloon because of their ability to ingest water or air into gas bladders, their absence of ribs, and the extreme elasticity of their ventral and lateral skin [ 37 , 38 ].…”

Natural Voltage‐Gated Sodium Channel Ligands: Biosynthesis and Biology

“…Tetrodotoxin is known for its high toxicity, with an estimated human LD 50 of 10.2 μg kg −1 . Poisoning by 1 is well recognized as a risk in consuming Japanese fugu, the pufferfish delicacy that must be harvested at certain times of the year and carefully prepared by a skilled chef to avoid poisoning the recipient . The structure of the molecule was determined in 1964, which revealed a remarkable 2,4‐dioxa‐adamantane structure appended to a cyclic guanidine which is decorated with hydroxy groups (Figure , 1 ) .…”

Institutional challenges and constraints for Ghana in exporting fishery products to the European Union

“…(103) In 2014, the three top causes of border rejection for wild fishery products were temperature failures and spoilage (27 per cent), heavy metals (11 per cent) and histamine (4 per cent). (104) A significant cause also relates to fish poisoning (e.g., puffer fish) (105), concerning the hazardous neurotoxin tetrodotoxin, 430 cases of which have been reported in the five last years, leading to 53 deaths. (104) Additional food safety measures need to be adapted regularly to the current situation, such as those reflecting the adverse effect of global warming on the expansion of fish distribution in regions where it was absent before, illegal fishing and unsafe home preparation (106) .…”