Blowfish Information

Puffer fish, more commonly known as blowfish, are part of the Tetraodontidae family and are found in tropical waters near the coastal areas or deep within the sea. There are more than 100 species of blowfish, which grow on average from 3 to 20 inches long, though some species may reach 3 feet. Blowfish are lethal to humans, as they contain tetrodotoxin and/or saxitoxin. As of April 2010, there is no known antidote for the toxin of the blowfish.

  1. Diet

    • Puffer fish have four large teeth that form a lower and upper plate in their mouths. These 'beaks' are used to crush crustaceans, clams, snails and mollusks. Their teeth are constantly worn down by the hard shells of these foods. If the teeth do not wear down, they will continue to grow, and the blowfish will not be able to eat. Blowfish also consume shrimp, squid, small fish, invertebrates and algae. Most of the marine life that blowfish eat actually contain tetrodotoxin, the deadly poison found in blowfish. Researchers at the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology and National University believe that the blowfish survives with the toxins in its body because of evolutionary adaptation to their food sources.

    Defenses

    • The body of a blowfish is capable of becoming fully inflated in seconds. When a puffer fish feels threatened, it quickly gulps water or air and "shuts down" its esophagus and stomach. The fish have no ribs or pelvic bones, so they can stretch up to one and a half times their normal resting size. Predators generally cannot bite through the skin of a fully expanded puffer fish. The puffer fish also releases toxins that make it taste foul, which tends to ward off predators.

    Fugu

    • Blowfish is one of the most expensive foods in Japan and is often served during gourmet meals. In the Japanese language, fish from the family Tetraodontidae have a general name, fugu. There are a number of species of fugu used in Japanese cuisine. The blowfish is said to be the tastiest of all fish in Japan, but if it is improperly prepared, the food poisoning that results can be fatal. The Japanese government licenses specially trained fish cutters to process and prepare puffer fish for safety.

    FDA Consumer Advisory

    • On October 17, 2007, the United States Food and Drug Administration sent out a consumer advisory advising those who consume puffer fish to only consume it from two sources: blowfish that has been prepared by certified and specially trained cutters in Shimonoseki, Japan and blowfish caught along the mid-Atlantic coastal waters of the United States. According to the advisory, the liver, gonads, intestines and skin of the blowfish contain dangerous toxins that are "1,200 times more deadly than cyanide." Toxins of the blowfish cannot be removed by exposure to extreme temperatures (cooking or freezing).

    History

    • Ancient Egyptians appeared to have known about the puffer fish based on engravings found in ancient tombs of Egypt's V Dynasty, which dates back to 2,700 B.C. Puffer fish were often dried and used in primitive ball games in Egypt as well, based on writings and artifacts.