Taste for Danger: What is puffer fish, the deadly delicacy that killed Malaysian woman?

It’s all very fishy. An 83-year-old woman in Malaysia has died while her husband lies in a coma after the two of them ate a puffer fish.

According to local media, the incident took place in the Malaysian state of Johor on 25 March. The couple’s daughter, Ng Ai Lee said that the tragedy struck when her 84-year-old father bought the fish unknowingly from a fishmonger as there were only a few selections left.

She is quoted as telling The Star that her parents have been buying fish from the same fishmonger for many years and hence, even though he hadn’t ever heard of puffer fish, he bought it and put their lives in danger.

The 51-year-old Ng Ai Lee said that soon after eating the fish, her mother — Lim Siew Guan — began complaining of shortness of breath and shivering. Her husband too began showing same symptoms. Ng said that she and her brother rushed them to the closest hospital but halfway through the journey, their mother passed away.

Officials revealed that Lim Siew Guan died of food poisoning with neurological manifestation resulting in respiratory failure and irregular heart rate, adding that the consumption of the fish could have been the cause of it all.

Ng said she’s devastated over the news and worries the worst fate awaits her father. She has also asked authorities to regulate the sale of puffer fish, saying, “Do not take it for granted that nothing will happen to you.”

But what makes puffer fish so dangerous to consume? And if it is poisonous, why do people still want to eat it?

All about puffer fish

Puffer fish, also known as fugu or blowfish, have spines on their skin to ward off predators. With their large eyes, protruding teeth and colourful bodies, puffer fish are found in Asia, Africa, and the Americas.

Different types of puffer fish exist — there are 120 different species — and they range from one-inch long and can grow as big as two feet. They are scaleless fish and usually have rough to spiky skin. All have four teeth that are fused together into a beak-like form.

Most puffer fish contain a toxic substance that makes them foul tasting and deadly to other fish. In fact, puffer fish are known to be the second most poisonous vertebrate in the world, after the golden poison frog. It is said that its internal organs, such as liver and eyes, and sometimes the skin, contain tetrodotoxin, which is not only potent to other fish but also to humans.

Tetrodotoxin is up to 1,200 times more poisonous than cyanide and puffer fish contain enough Tetrodotoxin to kill 30 adult humans. Interestingly, there is still no known antidote to this toxin.

This poison does not get destroyed during normal heating as part of cooking; nor does it die with freezing.

Safe to eat

Despite containing a dangerous toxin, puffer fish is considered a very expensive, delicious treat. There are about 22 types of puffer fish used for food in Japan. They are high in protein and low in calories, and they have many nutrients such as vitamins and minerals, making them a tasty dish that is good for beauty and health. Some claim that it tastes a bit like chicken, but die-hard (no pun intended) fans of the fish say that it has a distinct flavour — full of umami and even a bit of sweetness.

However, among the different puffer fish one can consume, one is more prized, and more poisonous, than the others: torafugu, or tiger puffer fish. Wild torafugu is often found at high-end restaurants across the world, where it’s served as perfectly thinly sliced sashimi, deep-fried, and even used to make a hot sake called hirezake.

The Japanese government tightly control who can prepare fugu, and chefs need to take an extensive exam before they’re legally allowed to serve the fish. There are (a scarce number of) restaurants around the globe known for working with and serving puffer fish. In New York City, Nippon is known for serving the delicacy, as is Azusa. In Japan, several Michelin-starred restaurants —including Takoyasu in Osaka and Tomoe in Kyoto — are known for their puffer fish as well.

Killer taste

According to Japanese government figures, despite precautions and restrictions laid down on the sale and consumption of puffer fish, a total of 295 people became ill and three died after eating fugu on 204 occasions between 2008 and 2018. Almost 80 per cent of these poisonings happened in peoples’ homes when they prepared the fish themselves.

In Malaysia where the 83-year-old died, there have been at least 58 puffer fish poisoning incidents in Malaysia in the last 38 years, 18 of which resulted in death.

According to the United States’ Food and Drug Administration (FDA), symptoms of puffer fish poisoning start within 20 minutes to two hours after eating the toxic fish. Initial symptoms include tingling of the lips and mouth, followed by dizziness, tingling in the extremities, problems with speaking, balance, muscle weakness and paralysis, vomiting, and diarrhoea. In severe intoxications, death can result from respiratory paralysis.

The most horrifying and deadly component of the neurotoxin is that it impedes the body’s muscle function, which means your muscles freeze up and don’t function anymore.

Hence, it is said that only the brave and adventurous should try this expensive and deadly fish. But do remember that if you do want to risk your life, do it at the hands of a professional who has been tested and trained on the matter.

With inputs from agencies

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