A warning concerning the consumption of Puffer fish in Thailand.

The deadly meat of Puffer fishes (Tetraodontidae) which contents Tetrodoxin can only be sold in Japan in restaurants having a special license and a cook specially trained to prepare this meat (Fugu) for consumption and has been sold in Thailand by unscrupulous vendors as Salmon.

A doctor reported that over the last years already more than 15 people died. The Puffer fish has been banned in 2002 but seems to be sold in large quantities at local markets and restaurants. There are vendors who even color the fish to look like Salmon.

The skin and certain internal organs of many Tetraodontidae are highly toxic to humans, but nevertheless the meat of some species is considered a delicacy in both Japan(as Fugu) and Korea (as boh-guh).

Tetrodoxin is a powerful neurotoxin that can cause death in nearly 60% of the humans that ingest it. A human only has to ingest a few milligrams of the toxin for a fatal reaction to occur. Tetrodotoxin is an exceptionally lethal poison. Tetrodotoxin is approximately 1200 times deadlier than cyanide. It is estimated that a single Puffer has enough poison to kill 30 adult humans.

Antoni P. Uni – Bangkok, 23-8-2007