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Fugu
sampled by Matthew Gorman
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| I’m sure anyone with a bit of worldliness about them has at least a passing familiarity with Fugu. Fugu, of course, is the Japanese word for any one of the many species of blowfish in the family Tetraodontidae, as well as for the culinary dish made from such fish. As most people are aware, these puffer fish contain highly poisonous parts and must be prepared by licensed chefs to avoid killing those who dine upon them (an assurance that occasionally proves ineffective). What many people do not know is that the truly masterful Fugu chefs actually purposefully leave a small amount of the poisonous bits behind in the portions that are served up to their guests. You see, in addition to the thrill of eating something that could be potentially lethal, the poison in the puffer fish, known as tetrodotoxin, actually produces a “high” when ingested in extremely minute amounts. Tetrodotoxin is a neurotoxin that works by binding itself to the pores of sodium channel proteins in nerve cell membranes. This causes the electrical signalling in nerves to essentially shut down, leading to a body wide paralysis and quite often death within 24 hours. And since the neurotoxin does not cross the blood-brain barrier, a poisoned person remains fully conscious while the toxin shuts down his or her body. Tetrodotoxin is highly potent and even 1mg of the poison can easily lead to death. It is estimated that somewhere around 70 to 100 die each year from Fugu poisoning, mostly in rural areas of Japan where the fish is improperly prepared. In blowfish, tetrodotoxin is typically found in parts of the skin and the liver, as well as in the ovaries of the female fish. And in many places that serve Fugu these organs are completely avoided and carefully disposed of like hazardous waste (a practice instituted after several homeless people in Japan died from consuming Fugu scraps from restaurant trash cans!) But when a master Fugu chef slices the fish in such a way as to leave a tiny, trace amount of the powerful toxin in the meat, it can lead to a pleasant tingling sensation when ingested. The body can feel warm and prickly, and the lips and gums may become numb in a way similar to the effects of cocaine. Apparently, this sensation, coupled with the daredevil rush from consuming a possible death sentence, keeps many a Fugu connoisseur coming back for more. |
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