Blowfish poisoning sends 7 to hospital in Japan

[Amby 490]

Blowfish testicles prepared by an unauthorized chef sickened seven diners in northern Japan and three remained hospitalized Tuesday after eating the poisonous delicacy.

The owner of the restaurant in Tsuruoka city, who is also the chef, had no license to serve blowfish and was being questioned on suspicion of professional negligence, police official Yoshihito Iwase said.

Blowfish, while extremely poisonous if not prepared properly, is considered a delicacy in Japan and is consumed by thrill-seeking gourmets.

Iwase said the seven men ordered sashimi and grilled blowfish testicles at the restaurant Monday night.

Shortly after, they developed limb paralysis and breathing trouble and started to lose consciousness — typical signs of blowfish poisoning — and were rushed to a hospital for treatment, Iwase said.

A 68-year-old diner remained hospitalized in critical condition with respiratory failure and two others, aged 55 and 69, were in serious condition, he said.

"It's scary. If you go to a decent-looking restaurant that serves fugu, you would assume a cook has a proper fugu license," Iwase said, using the Japanese term for blowfish.

Blowfish poison, called tetrodotoxin, is nearly 100 times more poisonous than potassium cyanide, according to the Ishikawa Health Service Association. It can cause death within an hour and a half after consumption.

Three people died and 44 others were sickened by blowfish poisoning in 2007 — most of them after catching the fish and cooking it at home — according to the Health Ministry.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?.../i071457S67.DTL

[spookyturtle 9,466]

Why would anyone want to eat something that if it is not prepared properly it may kill you? I make a great arsenic soup if anyone is interested.

[Amby 490]

Why would anyone want to eat something that if it is not prepared properly it may kill you? I make a great arsenic soup if anyone is interested.

it's the sensation you get when you eat it that makes people want to eat it

[spookyturtle 9,466]

Why would anyone want to eat something that if it is not prepared properly it may kill you? I make a great arsenic soup if anyone is interested.

it's the sensation you get when you eat it that makes people want to eat it

I wouldn't accept oral sex from a cannibal either, regardless of the sensation I would get.

[Amby 490]

What happens if you do eat a puffer fish? First let's talk about what makes it so darn dangerous. Puffer fish make a neurotoxin called Tetrodotoxin, the culprit. That's the bad news. The better news? You have a 40% chance of survival if you happen to ingest the poison. But what happens to the other unfortunate 60%?

At first, the toxin creates a barrier to the sodium channels in the human's nervous tissue. The end result? Paralysis. To put it in perspective, one measly little puffer fish has the ability to kill about 30 people! So what are the warning signs to look for? After ingesting the puffer, you might feel a little dizzy, your lips may start to tingle and you might feel a little drunk. Some might think that sounds pretty good (remember that sashimi we talked about, that is precisely why it is so popular). However, as the poison starts to work its way throughout your body, everything will start to go numb and most likely, you'll start to vomit. As if that wasn't enough, your heart beat will speed up and you'll soon lose all muscle control. Next, you'll suffocate because you won't have the ability to breathe on your own anymore. Obviously, the worst case scenario is death. Some victims get lucky, only falling into a coma for several days. Those that do go into a comatose state will remember everything, one of the unexplainable and strange side effects of the Puffer's neurotoxin. Victims who are still alive after 24 hours are most likely to make a full recovery.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/3...uffer_fish.html

[spookyturtle 9,466]

What happens if you do eat a puffer fish? First let's talk about what makes it so darn dangerous. Puffer fish make a neurotoxin called Tetrodotoxin, the culprit. That's the bad news. The better news? You have a 40% chance of survival if you happen to ingest the poison. But what happens to the other unfortunate 60%?

At first, the toxin creates a barrier to the sodium channels in the human's nervous tissue. The end result? Paralysis. To put it in perspective, one measly little puffer fish has the ability to kill about 30 people! So what are the warning signs to look for? After ingesting the puffer, you might feel a little dizzy, your lips may start to tingle and you might feel a little drunk. Some might think that sounds pretty good (remember that sashimi we talked about, that is precisely why it is so popular). However, as the poison starts to work its way throughout your body, everything will start to go numb and most likely, you'll start to vomit. As if that wasn't enough, your heart beat will speed up and you'll soon lose all muscle control. Next, you'll suffocate because you won't have the ability to breathe on your own anymore. Obviously, the worst case scenario is death. Some victims get lucky, only falling into a coma for several days. Those that do go into a comatose state will remember everything, one of the unexplainable and strange side effects of the Puffer's neurotoxin. Victims who are still alive after 24 hours are most likely to make a full recovery.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/3...uffer_fish.html

I guess it's like seeing a sign that says wet paint. Some people just have to touch and they get some sense of satisfaction if the paint is really dry.

[Sister Fracas 5]

My FIL ate it years ago when he was in Japan for his job....didn't tell his wife until way after the fact that he'd eaten it. lol He had no ill effects.

Edited January 28, 2009 by Sister Fracas

[almaty 19]

blowfish...and i always thought hootie was the toxic one...