We’ve seen it in pictures, books, and movies, and it never fails to elicit a reaction from those who view it: the inflation of the Tetraodontidae; more commonly known as the puffer fish or blow fish. This fish is part of a large family of fish who employ similar methods to ward off predators, which is the inflating of its stomach with water (or air), causing the skin to expand like a balloon and wield its spiny needles that resemble a porcupine’s. In addition to this defense, it is thought to be the second most poisonous vertebrate creature in the entire world, due to a substance contained within its fragile organs — tetrodotoxin. Tetrodotoxin is a powerfully lethal neurotoxin that effectively renders its victims paralyzed due to the role it plays in blocking nerve function, eventually causing respiratory failure and asphyxiation, but with a catch — you are conscious the entire time your body is shutting down. To make matters worse, there is no known antidote to the poison.

With a list of side effects like these, you’d think this fish would be kept off the table, right?

It turns out that some humans are more intrigued by risk than others, and so began the Eastern tradition of consuming puffer fish, or fugu, as it is called in Japan. Throughout its history, the puffer fish has climbed and fallen through various levels of esteem, even being banned for more than two centuries in Japan under Tokugawa Shogunate rule. Even in modern day Japan, it is the only seafood that the Emperor must abstain from, to ensure his safety.

Although it is a highly demanded delicacy, there is a very specific method of preparation, and chefs must undergo a two to three year apprenticeship to attain the license to prepare and serve the fish in a commercial market. Even with this intensive training, only about 35% of students pass the requirements to be licensed. This stringent policy is to make the consumption of fugu as safe as it can possibly be for the public, but the element of danger is what draws many people to this most unusual morsel.

With the advent of aquaculture, the cultivation of the puffer fish that is absent of the tetrodotoxin is becoming more prevalent. While there are conflicting theories as to how the toxin comes to be in the fish’s glands, the theory that the poison proliferates in the fish by way of its consumption of starfish, mollusks, and worms is the one that is held by aqua farmers, because the bacteria that produces tetrodotoxin is found in all these creatures. This is circumvented altogether by feeding the farmed fish a diet that consists of non-poisonous creatures, thereby eliminating the accumulation of the deadly toxin. The traditional serving of fugu would generally eschew the organs that contain the poison, serving only the flesh and skin, but there are some who are willing to risk death and consume them anyway. The sale of these fish in their whole state to the general public is prohobited. While persons eating the non-lethal puffer fish say there is virtually no difference in taste, the magic is gone for those who relish the challenge of eating what may be their last meal.

The demand and high cost of this indulgence have caused some regulations to be placed on the harvesting of the puffer fish, to slow the depletion of natural populations. Aquaculture has been an advantage both to the preservation of wild species and the preservation of human life. There can be no doubt that these two goals are met succinctly through the farming of this (formerly) deadly treat!

Would you eat a serving of fugu?

Photos via NOAA, Ocean Explorer, oliptang, k_haruna