

Why Is Fugu Considered Dangerous?įugu fish is dangerous because of the presence of tetrodotoxin (also known as fugu poison), a highly toxic poison found within the fish’s organs. Because of all these elements-the high risk, the special preparation, the mandatory license-a fugu tasting is unsurprisingly pricey, running anywhere from $100 to $200, depending on the restaurant and location. After all, one mistake could prove fatal. All toxic organs are removed before eating, but the delicacy requires very careful preparation, which must be performed by someone who knows their way around this menacing sea creature. The type of blowfish that’s edible comes from several species of fugu puffer fish found in Asia, all of which are highly poisonous.

RELATED: What Is Sushi Grade Fish? What Is Fugu?įugu is a Japanese word that means puffer fish or blowfish. While it’s incredibly rare in the U.S., some very high-end Japanese restaurants have been known to feature it on the menu.īelow, the Departures guide to fugu, including how it’s prepared, what it costs, and where to eat fugu puffer fish. That, of course, means that those interested in sampling fugu can rest assured that chefs who prepare the dish undergo rigorous, lengthy training that earns them that scarce fugu license-odds are, if you’re dining in a reputable restaurant, you’re in good hands. For a long time, fugu was banned in Japan due to the high levels of risk that came with trying to prepare and sell it, but as of 1948, the country’s prefectures allow licensed training for specialty chefs keen on working with fugu fish. But while risky, those who love it insist that fugu is more delicious than it is dangerous, and thus worth the threat.
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Despite that, though, a few cultures’ cuisines-namely Japanese-consider the fish a gourmet item.Ĭonsider fugu a double-whammy delicacy: it’s incredibly rare and expensive, plus it can kill you if you consume an ill-prepared fugu dish. Enter fugu, a type of blowfish or puffer fish that is widely considered the most dangerous food in the world due to a rare poison found in its organs. What’s more exciting than indulging in a hard-to-find delicacy? Indulging in a dangerous, oft-forbidden delicacy. Send us feedback.A deep dive into the world of Macallan Scotch whisky. These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'fugu.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. 2020 Their saliva contains the potent nerve toxin tetrodotoxin, the same compound that makes California newts, harlequin frogs, and fugu pufferfish liver so deadly.Įric Scigliano, National Geographic, 15 Oct.

Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2021 Pumpkin toadlets are poisonous, secreting the same toxin found in fugu, or puffer fish.Īshley Strickland, CNN, What then of fugu chefs and their years devoted to training? 2021 Indeed, the mere hint of danger - rather like eating poisonous fugu fish from a reputable sushi bar in Tokyo - may well have added to the overall exhilaration of the evening.

2021 There is Nippon, the stage where, since 1963, soba, fugu and other things have danced into the city’s consciousness. 2021 The horse meat and fugu flavors are vegan, and casu marzu is vegetarian. Joshua Levine, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Nov. 2021 Many people worry that raw-milk cheese is a kind of edible petri dish of contagion and disease, a dangerous delicacy not unlike Japanese fugu, the poisonous blowfish, which, if not prepared expertly, can kill you. Jessica Poitevien, Travel + Leisure, 29 Nov. Recent Examples on the Web In fact, eating fugu is so dangerous that it was outlawed in the 16th century, though many secretly kept the tradition alive.
