I Want to Eat Fugu,
But I Don't Want to Die!
Fugu, or Puffer Fish
An old Japanese folk song says,
"Fugu wa kuitashii, inochi wa oshishii" or
"I want to eat fugu, but I don't want to die."
Fugu Facts:
- Japanese puffer fish (fugu) is a famous but dangerous delicacy. Its ovaries and liver may contain tetrodotoxin (TTX), a
potent poison. In addition to being delicious, fugu is also consumed as an aphrodisiac, made by mixing a teaspoonful of
its testes with hot sake.
- There are over 1,500 fugu restaurants in Tokyo, where an average of 100-200 people a year show signs of poisoning.
The death rate is 61%!
- A fugu chef in Japan must be licensed by the Environmental Sanitation Division of the Bureau of Health. Only 25% of
the applicants pass the written test. The demonstration test requires the would-be chef to eat the fugu he has prepared!
Why is fugu so dangerous?
- When a neuron (nerve cell) is sending a message, tiny pores or channels in the neuron's membrane open up to let
sodium ions enter the cell.
- Tetrodotoxin (puffer fish toxin) blocks these tiny pores, which in turn prevents any signalling in the nervous system.
- The result is rapid paralysis and possibly death.
Want to learn more?
Psy 304 Syllabus
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