Friday, February 1, 2008

Fugu: life or death at the dinner table

Photo: National Geographic
Fugu is the Japanese word for pufferfish, and it is also one of the world’s deadliest foods.
And yet, people from all over the world come [mostly] to Japan to try the delicacy.
Why fugu is so deadly is because the pufferfish contains a neurotoxin called tetrodotoxin.
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A lethal dose for a full-grown man would fit on the head of a pin.
YES, YOU READ THAT CORRECTLY A PIN!
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Ok, if you didn’t read all that I’ll summarize it for you. Basically, if you ingest even the tiniest bit by accident, YOU WILL GO CRAZY AND DIE WITHIN A FEW HOURS. Blame the chef all you want, but you’ll be dead. Last year, at least 15 people were killed when they accidentally bought fugu disguised as salmon.
When you order this dish, your life is literally in the hands of the chef.
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Check out the video below of fugu being prepared by a Japanese chef.

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