Pufferfish, which killed penguin, can be eaten by humans? – 7/5/2023 – Food

The puffer fish, that fish that inflates and looks like a balloon, is a very popular food in Japanese cuisine. However, its consumption can bring risks, as it releases toxins that can be deadly.

Last week, the Zé penguin died on Arpoador beach, in Rio de Janeiro, after biting a fish, probably one of this species.

However, with adequate care and preparation, it is indeed possible for human beings to consume puffer fish safely.

The fish has a mild, mild flavor and can be pleasant to the palate. But some of its organs — the liver, spleen, gallbladder, sex glands and skin — harbor a lethal poison.

The species found in the Pacific Ocean and consumed in Japan, for example, has a higher concentration of toxins than that seen in Brazil.

In the Asian country, it is necessary to have a license to prepare puffer fish. This means that cooks must undergo specific training and know how to locate the area with poison on the animal, as the neurotoxin released can cause motor nerve paralysis and death by respiratory arrest.

“Consumption is only safe if it is clean, handled and cut properly”, says chef Telma Shiraishi, from the Aizomê restaurant, in São Paulo. “The chef must know where the concentration of poison is.”

In Brazil, as fish has less toxins, those who consume it in moderation will not die, but, according to the chef, it can indeed make you sick.

“There really is a risk in consuming pufferfish. But there is that adrenaline, that taste of danger that makes people appreciate it so much”, says Shiraishi.

In Brazil, she says, fish does not have much commercial appeal and is not much appreciated by the public. There are few suppliers, and therefore it is not seen so often in restaurants.