Fugu fish or puffer fish is considered a delicacy in Japan, however, the other parts of the world considered it as a deadly dish. Only qualified chefs with three years to six years of rigorous training are allowed to prepare the fish. One wrong step may cost one live.
Toxic called tetradotoxin or Tetrodotoxin is a very powerful toxin, it is stronger than cyanide and can cause fatality (Osamu et al., 2010). According to Bane et al., (2014), tetrodotoxin is a sodium channel blocker. Upon entering the human body, the tetrodotoxin will bind to the voltage gated sodium channel on the surface of the nerve. This occurs due to the interaction between the positive charge from the guanidine group of the tetrodotoxin and the negative charge of the carboxylate group near the sodium channel. This binding altered the sodium channel and prevent the diffusion of the sodium ion into the nerve cell through sodium channel. This causes loss of sensation, paralyze, and reduces the rate of reflexes (Bane et al., 2014). Paralyze effect is due to the tissue immobilization and the severity symptoms is depending on the dosage intake. The symptoms include sting in tongue and lips, muscle become week, headache, vomiting and death (Lago et al., 2015).
Lago et al., (2015) stated that, in a marine pufferfish, the concentration of this toxic is high in the liver and ovary, on the other hand, for freshwater pufferfish, the toxic is highly concentrated in the skin. Tetrodotoxin is produced by actinomycetes, Nocardiopsis dassonvillei that is isolated in the ovary and liver of the pufferfish (Long, et al., 2005). Apart from that, tetrodotoxin is also produce by other bacteria and pufferfish, becoming one of the TTX-bearing animals, consumed and accumulate it through the food chain. Tetrodotoxin is also presence in other edible marine animal such as horseshoe crab and gastropods (Bane et al., 2014).
Every year in Japan, it is estimated that there are 20 to 40 cases of poisoning. There are more than 100 species of fugu fish and each of them are poisonous. When trying this Japanese delicacy, it is recommended to try the ‘torafugu’ as it has the least amount of toxin. Fugu is usually eaten raw as sashimi and presented in a floral shape. During the preparation of Fugu, parts that are containing TTX are removed, generally everywhere except the flesh. Do not try this at home.
However, there are people that are luckily alive after being poisoned however the TTX shows no mercy.
