Not to import or sell puffer fish as food. Not to consume puffer fish is the only reliable way to prevent tetrodotoxin poisoning. Tetrodotoxin cannot be destroyed by cooking, freezing or drying, and there is no antidote to it. Puffer fish contain tetrodotoxin, which is lethal.While there is no antidote for TTX, the stake of eating puffer fish remains extremely high, even with a sampling and testing scheme in operation. In other words, the absence of TTX in a fish sample cannot guarantee other fish are toxin free. As such, it cannot be guaranteed that farmed puffer fish is free from TTX.Ĭan we ensure the safety of puffer fish through sampling and testing scheme?Īccording to the US Food and Drug Administration, there is no adequate sampling scheme to ensure a safe lot of puffer fish since any single fish may contain a lethal dose of TTX. The FSC concluded that the mechanism of toxin production in puffer fish is still unknown, and conditions for farming puffer fish to reduce the toxin level have not been officially established. The Food Safety Commission (FSC) of Japan has evaluated the toxicity and the aquaculture method of farmed puffer fish. Although there is literature reporting that puffer fish artificially reared with non-toxic diets possess a lower TTX amount, TTX is still present in various tissues (e.g. The exact mechanism of TTX production, distribution and accumulation in puffer fish is not fully understood. Is farmed puffer fish guaranteed free from TTX? At present, there is no internationally accepted guideline, procedure and accreditation scheme for the preparation of puffer fish to prevent TTX contamination. Removal of toxic organs from a puffer fish without contaminating the flesh depends on the skills of the handlers and the accreditation system to ensure the handlers meet the requirements. Moreover, the flesh of puffer fish is extremely easy to be contaminated by TTX in other tissues during dressing and other preparation. Since TTX concentrates in the internal organs and skin of puffer fish, is it safe if I only eat the flesh?Īlthough TTX accumulates mainly in the viscera and skin of puffer fish, some species of puffer fish are known to contain a high level of TTX naturally in their flesh. There is no antidote for TTX poisoning.įigure 2: Tetrodotoxin in puffer fish (Photo courtesy of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department) Myths and Facts of Puffer Fish The victim, although completely paralysed, may be conscious and completely lucid until shortly before death. In severe intoxication, death can be resulted from respiratory and/or heart failure. Initial symptoms start within 20 minutes to two hours after intoxication, which include numbness of the lips and mouth, followed by tingling in the extremities, slurring of speech, motor imbalance, muscle weakness and paralysis. Presentation of TTX PoisoningĪll humans are susceptible to TTX poisoning. Some of these bacteria are colonised in the intestines of puffer fish. TTX has been found to be produced by several bacterial species, with Vibrio alginolyticus being the most common species. The toxin then rapidly accumulates and is distributed to various tissues of the fish. Origin of TTX in Puffer FishĪlthough the source of TTX in puffer fish has not yet been conclusively identified, it is believed that puffer fish acquire TTX in their diet. TTX is heat-stable and cannot be destroyed by cooking, freezing or drying. The level of TTX among puffer fish varies across geographical regions, species and seasons. However, certain species of puffer fish also contain TTX in their flesh. In general, TTX is more concentrated in the gonads (mainly ovary), liver, intestines and skin of puffer fish. This interferes with the transmission of signals from nerves to muscles, causing paralysis of the body’s muscles. TTX can bind to the voltage-gated sodium channels in nerve cell membranes. Many puffer fish of the family Tetraodontidae possess a highly potent toxin known as tetrodotoxin (TTX), which is over 1,000 times more toxic to humans than cyanide according to some authorities and literature. So, what makes the puffer fish poisonous? Tetrodotoxin in Puffer Fish In April 2021, the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health investigated a suspected puffer fish poisoning case that involved a 28-year-old man who developed dizziness and palpitation shortly after consuming puffer fish at a restaurant. Risk Assessment Section, Centre for Food Safety Food Safety Focus (178th Issue, May 2021) – Food Safety Platform Tetrodotoxin – the Deadly Poison in Puffer Fish
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