View source for Fugu

{{short description|Various species of pufferfish}}
{{Other uses}}
[[File:Fugu in Tank.jpg|thumb|''[[Takifugu]]'' in a tank]]
'''Fugu''' ({{lang|ja|河豚}}; {{lang|ja|鰒}}; {{lang|ja|フグ}}) in [[Japanese language|Japanese]], '''''bogeo''''' ({{lang|ko|복어}}; 鰒魚) or '''''bok''''' ({{lang|ko|복}}) in [[Korean language|Korean]], and '''''hétún''''' ({{Zh|t=河豚; 河魨|labels=no}}) in [[Standard Modern Chinese]]{{Efn|In Classical Chinese and the various regional varieties of Chinese, there are nearly a dozen synonyms that refer to the toxic pufferfish, including 䲅, 𩷪鱼, 黄驹, 魺, 嗔鱼, 鲑, 鲐鱼, 鮧, 鯸鲐, 鯸鮧, 鰗鮧, 鹕夷, 芽依, 鯸䱌, and 䰽.}} refers to [[tetraodontidae|pufferfish]], normally of the genus ''[[Takifugu]]'', ''[[Lagocephalus]]'', or ''[[Sphoeroides]]'', or a [[porcupinefish]] of the genus ''[[Diodon]]'', or a dish prepared from these fish.{{cn|date=April 2025}}

Fugu possesses a potentially lethal poison known as [[tetrodotoxin]], therefore necessitating meticulous preparation to prevent the fish from being contaminated.<ref name="Davidson">{{cite book |title = The Oxford Companion to Food |first = Alan |last = Davidson | name-list-style = vanc |author-link = Alan Davidson (food writer) |publisher = Oxford University Press |isbn = 978-0-19-280681-9 |pages = 324 |year = 2006 |title-link = The Oxford Companion to Food }}</ref> Restaurant preparation of fugu is strictly controlled by law in [[Japan]],<ref>{{Cite news |last=Coxon |first=Mio |date=3 April 2012 |title=Tokyo chefs swell with anger over new blowfish laws |pages= |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-japan-blowfish-idUSLNE83201220120403}}</ref> [[South Korea|Korea]] and several other countries, and only chefs who have qualified after three or more years of rigorous training are allowed to prepare the fish.<ref name="Davidson" /><ref name="Hosking">{{cite book |title = A Dictionary of Japanese Food: Ingredients & Culture |first = Richard |last = Hosking |name-list-style = vanc |isbn = 978-0-8048-2042-4 |pages = [https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofjapa00hosk/page/41 41–42] |publisher = Tuttle Publishing |year = 1997 |url-access = registration |url = https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofjapa00hosk/page/41 }}</ref> Domestic preparation occasionally leads to accidental death.<ref name="Hosking" />

Throughout Japan, fugu is served as [[sashimi]] and [[nabemono]].<ref name="Hosking" /> The liver, widely thought to be the most flavorful part, was traditionally served as a dish named ''fugu-kimo'', but it is also the most poisonous, and serving this organ in restaurants was banned in Japan in 1984.<ref name="Hosking" /> 

In East Asian cuisine, fugu has emerged as a highly renowned delicacy, establishing itself as one of the most celebrated dishes in Japanese and Korean cuisine. Fugu has also been gradually emerging as a prized seafood delicacy in Chinese cuisine.

== Diversity ==
{{Main|Tetraodontidae}}
There are close to 200 species in the family Tetraodontidae (pufferfish), a family of primarily marine and estuarine fish of the order [[Tetraodontiformes]]. However, only some of them are eaten and traded as "fugu".

==Toxicity==
Fugu contains lethal amounts of the poison [[tetrodotoxin]] in its organs, especially the [[liver]], [[ovary|ovaries]], eyes, and skin.<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Pufferfish poisoning case study |journal=Case Reports in Medicine |volume=2013 |pages=206971 |doi=10.1155/2013/206971 |pmid=24368916 |pmc=3867830 |year=2013 |last1=Yong |first1=Y. S. |last2=Quek |first2=L. S. |last3=Lim |first3=E. K. |last4=Ngo |first4=A. |doi-access=free }}</ref> The poison, a [[sodium channel blocker]],<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Lee CH, Ruben PC | title = Interaction between voltage-gated sodium channels and the neurotoxin, tetrodotoxin | journal = Channels | volume = 2 | issue = 6 | pages = 407–12 | date = 1 November 2008 | pmid = 19098433 | doi = 10.4161/chan.2.6.7429 | doi-access = free }}</ref> [[paralysis|paralyzes]] the muscles while the victim stays fully conscious;<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Lago J, Rodríguez LP, Blanco L, Vieites JM, Cabado AG | title = Tetrodotoxin, an Extremely Potent Marine Neurotoxin: Distribution, Toxicity, Origin and Therapeutical Uses | journal = Marine Drugs | volume = 13 | issue = 10 | pages = 6384–406 | date = October 2015 | pmid = 26492253 | pmc = 4626696 | doi = 10.3390/md13106384 | doi-access = free }}</ref> the poisoned victim is unable to breathe and eventually dies from [[asphyxia]]tion.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Cheng|first1=K. K.|last2=Ling|first2=Y. L.|last3=Wang|first3=J. C.|date=April 1968|title=The failure of respiration in death by tetrodotoxin posioning|journal=Quarterly Journal of Experimental Physiology and Cognate Medical Sciences|volume=53|issue=2|pages=119–128|doi=10.1113/expphysiol.1968.sp001951|issn=0033-5541|pmid=5185564|doi-access=}}</ref> There is no known antidote for fugu poison.<ref name="Larimore2017">{{cite book| first = Jennifer L. | last = Larimore | name-list-style = vanc  |title=Neuroscience Basics: A Guide to the Brain's Involvement in Everyday Activities|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PEbUDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA57|date=25 May 2017|publisher=Elsevier Science|isbn=978-0-12-811017-1|pages =57}}</ref> The standard treatment is to [[Symptomatic treatment|support]] the [[respiratory system|respiratory]] and [[circulatory system]]s until the poison is [[metabolized]] and excreted by the victim's body.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ershdb/emergencyresponsecard_29750019.html|title=CDC - The Emergency Response Safety and Health Database: Biotoxin: TETRODOTOXIN - NIOSH|date=9 November 2017|website=www.cdc.gov}}</ref>

Researchers have determined that a fugu's tetrodotoxin comes from eating other animals infested with tetrodotoxin-laden [[bacteria]], to which the fish develops insensitivity over time.<ref name="NYT1">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/04/world/asia/04fugu.html|title=If the Fish Liver Can't Kill, Is It Really a Delicacy?|first=Norimitsu|last=Onishi| name-list-style = vanc |newspaper=The New York Times|date=2008-05-04}}</ref> Whether tetrodotoxin is sequestered from or produced by [[symbiotic bacteria]] is still debated.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Finch |first1=Sarah |last2=Boundy |first2=Michael |last3=Harwood |first3=D. |date=2018-10-23 |title=The Acute Toxicity of Tetrodotoxin and Tetrodotoxin–Saxitoxin Mixtures to Mice by Various Routes of Administration |journal=Toxins |language=en |volume=10 |issue=11 |pages=423 |doi=10.3390/toxins10110423 |pmid=30360529 |pmc=6266834 |issn=2072-6651|doi-access=free }}</ref> As such, efforts have been made in research and aquaculture to allow farmers to produce safe fugu. Farmers now produce poison-free fugu by keeping the fish away from the bacteria &ndash; see {{section link||Aquaculture}} below.<ref name="NYT1" />

===Tetrodotoxin===
{{main|Tetrodotoxin}}
[[Tetrodotoxin]] (TTX) is a [[natural product]] that has been isolated not only from pufferfish, but also octopuses, crabs, shellfish, frogs, newts, and other aquatic animals (see below).<ref name="SatoEtal2015">{{cite journal |vauthors=Sato K, Akai S, Yoshimura J |date=May 2015 |title=Stereocontrolled total synthesis of tetrodotoxin from myo-inositol and D-glucose by three routes: aspects for constructing complex multi-functionalized cyclitols with branched-chain structures |journal=Natural Product Communications |volume=10 |issue=5 |pages=691–702 |doi=10.1177/1934578X1501000501 |pmid=26058138 |quote=The original name of TTX was 'taricatoxin' … TTX selectively interacts with elements of the sodium channel … TTX has been isolated from the puffer fish, newts, frogs, octopuses, crabs, shellfish, and numerous other aquatic animals. The animals do not produce TTX themselves; instead, it is produced by bacteria such as Alteromonas sp., Vibrio sp., and Shewanella sp. |doi-access=free}}<!--| access-date = 27 February 2016 --></ref> It is a potent [[neurotoxin]] that shuts down [[action potential|electrical signaling]] in [[nerve]]s; it acts via interaction with components of the [[ion channel|sodium channel]]s in the [[cell membrane]]s of those cells.<ref name = SatoEtal2015/> Its ability to cross the [[blood–brain barrier]] is uncertain.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Bucciarelli |first1=GM |last2=Lechner |first2=M |last3=Fontes |first3=A |last4=Kats |first4=LB |last5=Eisthen |first5=HL |last6=Shaffer |first6=HB |title=From Poison to Promise: The Evolution of Tetrodotoxin and Its Potential as a Therapeutic. |journal=Toxins |date=24 July 2021 |volume=13 |issue=8 |page=517 |doi=10.3390/toxins13080517 |pmid=34437388 |publisher=MDPI (Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute) |location=Basel, Switzerland|doi-access=free |pmc=8402337 }}</ref> In the case of the pufferfish host, at least (see below), their insusceptibility to the poison is thought to result from cysteine asperagine amino acid substitutions in the sequence of their specific types of sodium channel proteins.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Venkatesh |first1=Byrappa |last2=Lu |first2=Song Qing |last3=Dandona |first3=Nidhi |last4=See |first4=Shean Long |last5=Brenner |first5=Sydney |last6=Soong |first6=Tuck Wah | display-authors=2 |title=Genetic Basis of Tetrodotoxin Resistance in Pufferfishes |journal=Current Biology |date=November 2005 |volume=15 |issue=22 |pages=2069–2072 |doi=10.1016/j.cub.2005.10.068 |pmid=16303569 |bibcode=2005CBio...15.2069V |url=https://www.cell.com/current-biology/pdf/S0960-9822(05)01368-0.pdf}}</ref>

TTX is not produced by pufferfish and the other aquatic animals from which it has been isolated. Rather, [[bacteria]] such as ''[[Alteromonas]]'', ''[[Shewanella]]'', and ''[[Vibrio]]'' species infect or cohabit with the animal species from which TTX is isolated, and a bacterial biosynthetic pathway for its production has been rationalized.<ref name = SatoEtal2015/><ref>For the relationship between ''Alteromonas'', ''Pseudoalteromonas'', and ''[[Pseudomonas]]'' species, which has been redefined in recent history, see {{cite book | vauthors = Mikhailov VV, Romanenko LA, Ivanova EP | year = 2006 | chapter = Chapter 3.3.20. The Genus ''Alteromonas'' and Related Proteobacteria | title = The Prokaryotes (Proteobacteria: Gamma Subclass) | edition = 3rd |editor = Falkow, S. |editor2=Rosenberg, E. |editor3=Schleifer, K.-H. |editor4=Stackebrandt, E. | volume = 6 | pages = 597–645, esp. 598ff | location = Berlin, GER | publisher = Springer Science & Business | isbn = 978-0387254968 | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?isbn=038725496X | access-date = 27 February 2016 }}</ref><ref name="nyt"/>

In animal studies with mice, the [[median lethal dose]] of TTX was found to be 232&nbsp;μg per kg body weight.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Abal P, Louzao MC, Antelo A, Alvarez M, Cagide E, Vilariño N, Vieytes MR, Botana LM | title = Acute Oral Toxicity of Tetrodotoxin in Mice: Determination of Lethal Dose 50 (LD50) and No Observed Adverse Effect Level (NOAEL) | journal = Toxins | volume = 9 | issue = 3 | pages = 75 | date = February 2017 | pmid = 28245573 | pmc = 5371830 | doi = 10.3390/toxins9030075 | doi-access = free }}</ref> Tetrodotoxin levels are affected by preparation (removal of most toxic materials, treatments such as curing and pickling, see below); it is, however, reportedly not significantly affected by cooking.<ref name="CFSHK">{{cite web |last1 = Tsang | first1 = Yi Yuen |last2 = Tsang | first2 = Anna S. P. | name-list-style = vanc |title = Tetrodotoxin Poisoning | work = Food Safety Focus | publisher = Centre for Food Safety | date = January 30, 2008 |url = http://www.cfs.gov.hk/english/multimedia/multimedia_pub/multimedia_pub_fsf_09_01.html |access-date = April 4, 2009 }}</ref>

Despite its toxicity, TTX has clinical therapeutic applications, being evaluated in phase II and III [[Clinical trial|clinical trials]] to be effective for treating cancer-related pain without increasing serious adverse events.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Huerta |first1=Miguel Á |last2=de la Nava |first2=Javier |last3=Artacho-Cordón |first3=Antonia |last4=Nieto |first4=Francisco R. |date=May 2023 |title=Efficacy and Security of Tetrodotoxin in the Treatment of Cancer-Related Pain: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |journal=Marine Drugs |language=en |volume=21 |issue=5 |pages=316 |doi=10.3390/md21050316 |pmid=37233510 |pmc=10221257 |issn=1660-3397 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

==Consumption==

===History===
[[File:Fugu.Tsukiji.CR.jpg|thumb|''Torafugu'' for sale to master fugu chefs at the [[Tsukiji fish market]] in [[Tokyo]]]]
[[File:FuguSaleOsaka.JPG|thumb|Fugu sale in a market street in [[Osaka]], Japan]]
The inhabitants of Japan have eaten fugu for centuries. Fugu bones have been found in several [[shell midden]]s, called ''kaizuka'', from the [[Jōmon period]] that date back more than 2,300 years. The [[Tokugawa shogunate]] (1603–1868) prohibited the consumption of fugu in [[Edo]] and its area of influence. It became common again as the power of the [[Shōgun]]ate weakened. In western regions of Japan, where the government's influence was weaker and fugu was easier to obtain, various cooking methods were developed to safely eat them. During the [[Meiji Era]] (1867–1912), fugu was again banned in many areas.<ref>{{cite news |first=Alan |last=Farnham | name-list-style = vanc |title=Killer Foods |url= https://www.forbes.com/2004/02/24/cz_af_0224health.html |work=Forbes |access-date=2009-05-20 }}</ref> According to one fugu chef in Tokyo, the [[Emperor of Japan]] has never eaten fugu due to an unspecified "centuries old ban".<ref>{{cite news |first=John M. |last=Glionna | name-list-style = vanc |title=Blowfish's bad rap is killing him |url=http://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-japan-blowfish1-2009apr01-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=2021-07-04 }}</ref>

In China, the use of the pufferfish for culinary purposes was already well-established by the [[Song dynasty]] as one of the "three delicacies of the Yangtze" ({{Zh|t=長江三鮮}}), alongside [[saury]] and [[Tenualosa|Reeve's shad]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Three Delicacies of the Yangtze River-Recommended delicacies-Food-Fun Taizhou-Official Website of Taizhou Tourism Bureau |url=http://www.tztour.cn/sitefiles/tzly_en/html/meishi/5127.shtml |website=www.tztour.cn |access-date=17 January 2021 |archive-date=22 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122213740/http://www.tztour.cn/sitefiles/tzly_en/html/meishi/5127.shtml |url-status=dead }}</ref> and appears in the writings of the polymath [[Shen Kuo]]<ref>《梦溪笔谈》：吳人嗜河豚魚，有遇毒者，往往殺人，可為深戒。</ref> as well as in the encyclopedic work ''[[Taiping Guangji]]''.<ref>《太平廣記 》：鯸鮐魚文斑如虎，俗云煮之不熟，食者必死。</ref> The scholar-statesman [[Su Shi]] famously remarked that the taste is worthy of death ({{Zh|t=值那一死|labels=no}}).<ref>《河南邵氏聞見後錄》：經筵官會食資善堂，東坡盛稱河豚之美。呂元明問其味，曰：「直那一死！」</ref>

In 1774 [[James Cook]] during [[Second voyage of James Cook|his second voyage]], together with [[Johann Reinhold Forster]] and [[Georg Forster]], ate some liver of a fish bartered from a native of an island in [[New Caledonia]], likely a pufferfish. All three suffered symptoms of poisoning but survived.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://hab.whoi.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/doherty2005_captaincook.pdf |title=Captain Cook on poison fish |work=Neurology |access-date=2024-12-09 }}</ref>

===Species===
The ''torafugu'', or tiger pufferfish (''[[Takifugu rubripes]]''), is the most prestigious edible species and the most poisonous. Other species are also eaten; for example, ''Higanfugu'' (''T. pardalis''), ''Shōsaifugu'' (''T. vermicularis'' syn. ''snyderi''), and ''Mafugu'' (''T. porphyreus''). The [[Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (Japan)|Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan]] provides a list<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mhlw.go.jp/topics/syokuchu/poison/animal_01.html |publisher=Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Japan |title=魚類：フグ毒 [Fugu poison] |language=ja}}</ref> that shows which species' body parts can be consumed. The list names safe [[genus|genera]] including [[pufferfish]] of the ''[[Lagocephalus]]'' and ''[[Sphoeroides]]'' genera and the related [[porcupinefish]] (''Harisenbon'') of the family ''Diodontidae''.

===Regulations===
==== Japan ====
[[File:Fugu official license - march - 2013.jpg|thumb|Official fugu preparation license of Tokyo issued by the [[Governor of Tokyo]]]]

Strict fishing regulations are now in place to protect fugu populations from depletion. Most fugu is now harvested in the spring during the [[spawn (biology)|spawning]] season and then farmed in floating cages in the [[Pacific Ocean]]. The largest wholesale fugu market in Japan is in [[Shimonoseki]].

Fugu prices rise in autumn and peak in winter, the best season, because they fatten to survive the cold. Live fish arrive at a restaurant, surviving in a large tank, usually prominently displayed. Prepared fugu is also often available in grocery stores, which must display official license documents. Whole fish may not be sold to the general public.

Since 1958, fugu chefs must earn a license to prepare and sell fugu to the public. This involves a two- or three-year apprenticeship. The licensing examination process consists of a written test, a fish-identification test, and a practical test, preparing and eating the fish. Only about 35 percent of the applicants pass.<ref name="One Man's Fugu">{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/11/29/travel/one-man-s-fugu-is-another-s-poison.html | work=The New York Times | title=One Man's Fugu Is Another's Poison | date=1981-11-29 | access-date=2010-05-03}}</ref> Small miscalculations result in failure or, in rare cases, death. Consumers believe that this training process makes it safer to eat fugu in restaurants or markets.<ref>Matsutani, Minoru, "[http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20120305a7.html Tokyo to drop fugu license ordinance amid a decline in fatal diner poisonings]", ''[[Japan Times]]'', 5 March 2012, p. 2. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120307212829/http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20120305a7.html |date=March 7, 2012 }}</ref> Non-poisonous fugu can be produced by keeping the fish away from the bacteria that makes them poisonous.<ref name="NYT1"/>

Since October 2012, restaurants in Japan have been permitted to sell fugu that has been prepared and packaged by a licensed practitioner elsewhere.<ref>Ito, Shingo ([[Jiji Press]]), "[http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20120705f1.html Fugu's risk will always be part of its charm]", ''[[Japan Times]]'', 5 July 2012, p. 3 {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120708014344/http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20120705f1.html |date=July 8, 2012 }}</ref>

The [[Saga Prefecture]] in Japan has petitioned the Food Safety Commission of Japan three times to reconsider its ban on fugu liver, stating that its farmed fugu is non-toxic. The FSCJ has rejected the proposals thrice due to "data insufficient to prove safety".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Buchanan |first1=Kelly |title=Delicious, but Deadly: Should Fugu Liver be Served in Japan? {{!}} In Custodia Legis |url=https://blogs.loc.gov/law/2016/11/delicious-but-deadly-should-fugu-liver-be-served-in-japan/ |website=The Library of Congress |date=28 November 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |title=The Liver of the Aquacultured Japanese Pufferfish) (Natural Toxins) |journal=Food Safety (Tokyo, Japan) |date=December 2017 |volume=5 |issue=4 |pages=169–170 |doi=10.14252/foodsafetyfscj.2017012s |pmid=32231941 |issn=2187-8404|doi-access=free |pmc=6989194 |author1=Food Safety Commission of Japan }}</ref> NYT reported in 2008 that there is a well-known underground ''fugu-kimo'' scene in another Japanese town, [[Usuki, Ōita]].<ref name=NYT1/>

==== Korea ====
{{copyedit|section|date=April 2025}}
In Ancient time, the bone of fugu was found in [[Gimhae]] and other coastal villages which have important features in [[Archaeology|archaeology]]. In [[Goryeo]] and [[Joseon]], Fugu was widely consumed and the penal law confined the guilty about Fugu if some one who is died although standardised qualification did not existed.<ref>{{citation|url=https://sillok.history.go.kr/id/kda_10612006_002 |title=조선왕조실록 }}</ref><ref>{{citation|url=https://sillok.history.go.kr/id/kia_12404028_002 |title=조선왕조실록 }}</ref>

After 1948, when the [[government of South Korea|Government of Korea]] and Provincial Governments in Korea were established, they restricted the cooking of Fugu, and qualifications for who can cook Fugu were established. Fugu Chefs must have qualification if he or she is hired by the restaurant or open his or her own restaurant.<ref>{{citation|url=https://newslibrary.naver.com/viewer/index.naver?editNo=2&printCount=1&publishDate=1961-01-20&officeId=00020&pageNo=3&printNo=11977&publishType=00020&articleId=1961012000209203019 | title=네이버 뉴스 라이브러리 }}</ref>

The qualification requires both a written test and a practical test. The written test covers the [[Tetrodotoxin|poisons of Fugu]], hygiene, basic food safety law, and conceptions of [[Korean cuisine]]. The practical test allows Chefs fifty-six minutes to remove the poisons in fugu and cook [[Hoe (food)|raw fish]], bulgogi, and soup. The qualifing score is 60 of 100.<ref>{{citation|url=https://www.q-net.or.kr/crf005.do?id=crf00503&jmCd=7914 | title=국가자격 종목별 상세정보 &#124; Q-net }}</ref>

==== China ====
China began issuing trial permits for serving fugu to restaurants in 2003. In 2016, the Chinese government abolished the permit system and allowed all restaurants to buy and serve farmed fish (without organs), now widely available. By 2019, such restaurants have become commonplace.<ref name="SCMP">{{cite web |last=Yau |first=Elaine |date=2019-02-07 |title=Pufferfish in China: diners lured by delicacy now country has bred them poison-free |url=https://scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/2185125/pufferfish-china-beijing-diners-lured-delicacy-now-country-has |website=[[South China Morning Post]] |language=en}}</ref> China also allowed ordinary households to buy processed (organ-removed) whole fish online starting in 2017.<ref>{{cite web |trans-title=First batch of legal farmed fugu "swims" to the table at FreshHippo |title=首批合法养殖河豚鱼"游"上餐桌 "盒马鲜生"已开卖 |url=http://www.moa.gov.cn/xw/qg/201704/t20170412_5559313.htm |website=Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (repost from: Jiefang Wang)|date=April 2017|last1=Xie|first1=Kewei}}</ref>

===Cost===
In the case of [[torafugu]], the most common fugu, the cost is between JP¥1000&ndash;JP¥4000 (US$7&ndash;29) per kilogram, depending on the season and quality, as of 2022.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://jp.gdfreak.com/public/detail/jp011013999600200470/1 |publisher=GD Freak |title=Market Conditions of Torafugu in Toyosu Market (Monthly Report) |language=ja| access-date=2013-03-27}}</ref> The expense encourages chefs to slice the fish very carefully to obtain the largest possible amount of meat. A special knife, called ''[[Tako hiki|fugu hiki]]'', is usually stored separately from other knives.

In China, packaged farmed fugu cost CN¥330 (US$50) per kilogram {{As of|2023|February|lc=y}}.<ref name=ShMP/>

===Treatment===
{{unreferenced section|date=December 2023}}
The symptoms of tetrodotoxin poisoning include dizziness, exhaustion, headache, nausea, or difficulty breathing. The person remains conscious but cannot speak or move. In high doses, breathing stops and [[asphyxiation]] follows.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Noguchi |first1=Tamao |last2=Onuki |first2=Kazue |last3=Arakawa |first3=Osamu |date=2011 |title=Tetrodotoxin Poisoning Due to Pufferfish and Gastropods, and Their Intoxication Mechanism |journal=International Scholarly Research Notices |language=en |volume=2011 |issue=1 |pages=276939 |doi=10.5402/2011/276939 |doi-access=free |issn=2356-7872 |pmc=3658506 |pmid=23724281}}</ref>

There is no known [[antidote]], and treatment consists of emptying the stomach, administering [[Activated charcoal (medication)|activated charcoal]] to bind the toxin, and putting the person on [[life support]] until the poison has worn off. [[toxicology|Toxicologists]] have been working on developing an antidote for tetrodotoxin.


===Incidents===
Between 1996 and 2006, statistics from the Tokyo Bureau of Social Welfare and Public Health indicate 20–44 annual incidents of ''fugu'' poisoning in Japan, some affecting multiple diners.{{citation needed|date=July 2020}} Annually, 34–64 people were hospitalized and 0–6 died, with an average fatality rate of 6.8% of those hospitalized.<ref name="tokyo">[http://www.fukushihoken.metro.tokyo.jp/kenkou/anzen/anzen_info/shizendoku/hugu/ 危険がいっぱい ふぐの素人料理 東京都福祉保健局] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080313125241/http://www.fukushihoken.metro.tokyo.jp/kenkou/anzen/anzen_info/shizendoku/hugu/ |date=March 13, 2008 }}</ref> Of the 23 incidents reported in Tokyo from 1993 through 2006, only one took place in a restaurant; all others involved people catching and eating the fish.<ref name="tokyo"/> Poisonings through amateur preparation can result from confusion between types of puffer, as well as improper methods. Some may also represent deliberate suicide attempts; [[Engelbert Kaempfer]], a German physician who resided in Japan in the 1690s, reported that an unusually toxic variety of puffer was sometimes sought out by individuals who wished to take their own lives.<ref name=ricciuti>{{cite book|last=Ricciuti|first=Edward R.| name-list-style = vanc |title=Killers of the Seas: the Dangerous Creatures that Threaten Man in an Alien Environment|year=2003|publisher=Lyons Press|location=Guilford, Conn.|isbn=978-1585748693|edition=Rev. Lyons Press|pages =141}}</ref>

Much higher figures were reported in earlier years, peaking in 1958 when 176 people died from eating fugu in a single year.<ref name="One Man's Fugu"/> According to the [[Fugu Research Institute]], 50% of the victims were poisoned by eating the liver, 43% from eating the ovaries, and 7% from eating the skin. One of the most famous victims was the [[Kabuki]] actor and "[[Living National Treasure (Japan)|Living National Treasure]]" [[Bandō Mitsugorō VIII]], who in 1975 died after eating four servings of ''fugu kimo'' (fugu liver),<ref name="nyt">{{cite news |title=Whatever Doesn't Kill Some Animals Can Make Them Deadly  |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/22/science/22creature.html |quote=In 1975, the Kabuki actor Bando Mitsugoro VIII ordered four fugu kimo in a restaurant in Kyoto, claiming he could resist the poison. He was wrong. |work=[[New York Times]] |date=December 21, 2009 |access-date=2009-12-24 | first=Sean B. | last=Carroll | name-list-style = vanc }}</ref> the sale of which was prohibited by local ordinances at the time.<ref name="leaderpost">{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=kvRUAAAAIBAJ&pg=4571,837806&hl=en |title=Japanese Actor Poisoned |work=The Leader-Post |date=20 January 1975 |access-date=19 August 2013 | last = Roderick | first = John | name-list-style = vanc |pages =10}}</ref> Bandō claimed to be able to resist the poison,<ref name="nyt"/> but died several hours after returning to his hotel.<ref name="leaderpost"/>

On August 23, 2007, a doctor in Thailand reported that unscrupulous fish sellers sold puffer meat disguised as salmon, which caused fifteen deaths over three years. About 115 people were taken to different hospitals. Fugu had been banned in Thailand five years prior to the deaths.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,294190,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071014042233/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,294190,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 14, 2007 |publisher=Foxnews.com |title=Poisonous Puffer Fish Sold as Salmon Kills 15 in Thailand |access-date=2013-09-11}}</ref>

In March 2008, a fisherman in the Philippines died and members of his family became ill from pufferfish. The previous year, four people in the same town died and five others had fallen ill after eating the same variety of pufferfish.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudailynews/news/view/20080311-124024/Father-dies-after-eating-puffer-fish |title=Father dies after eating puffer fish |publisher=INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos |url-status=dead |access-date=2013-09-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120216090058/http://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudailynews/news/view/20080311-124024/Father-dies-after-eating-puffer-fish |archive-date=February 16, 2012 }}</ref>

In February 2009, a Malaysian fisherman died and four others were hospitalised after they consumed a meal of pufferfish when they ran out of food while at sea.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.topnews.in/malaysian-fisherman-dies-after-eating-puffer-fish-2125637 |title=Malaysian fisherman dies after eating puffer fish &#124; TopNews |publisher=Topnews.in |date=2009-02-16 |access-date=2012-06-28}}</ref>

In November 2011, a chef at two-[[Michelin star]] "Fugu Fukuji" in Tokyo was suspended from his post. The chef served fugu liver to a customer who, despite being warned of the risks, specifically asked that it be provided. The 35-year-old customer subsequently required hospital treatment for mild symptoms of tetrodotoxin paralysis, but made a full recovery.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Koh, Yoree | year = 2011 | title = Lifestyle & Culture: Michelin Restaurant Diner Hospitalized After Eating Puffer Fish | journal = [[Wall Street Journal]] | issue = December 2 | url = https://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2011/12/02/michelin-restaurant-diner-hospitalized-after-eating-puffer-fish/ | access-date = 27 February 2016 }}</ref>

Five men were poisoned at a restaurant in [[Wakayama Prefecture|Wakayama]] in March 2015 after specifically asking for liver.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/02/japanese-men-fall-ill-after-dining-on-puffer-fish|title=Japanese men fall ill after eating pufferfish|date=2015-03-02|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=28 February 2016|agency=Agence France-Presse}}</ref><ref>[[Japan Times]] [http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/03/03/national/science-health/five-men-sickened-eating-puffer-fish-fare-including-requested-liver-wakayama-eatery/ Five men fall ill in Wakayama after eating fugu, including requested liver Mar 3, 2015] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150304172047/http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/03/03/national/science-health/five-men-sickened-eating-puffer-fish-fare-including-requested-liver-wakayama-eatery |date=March 4, 2015 }} Retrieved March 6, 2015</ref><ref>[[Wall Street Journal]] [https://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2015/03/02/five-hospitalized-after-eating-fugu-fish-delicacy/ Five Hospitalized After Eating Fugu Fish March 2, 2015] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161024113342/http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2015/03/02/five-hospitalized-after-eating-fugu-fish-delicacy/ |date=October 24, 2016 }} Retrieved March 6, 2015</ref>

In December 2020, 3 people in the Philippines died, while 4 more were hospitalized after eating pufferfish.<ref>{{Cite web|last=M|first=Austine Rain|date=2020-12-29|title=Killer Fish: 3 People Died After Eating Pufferfish in the Philippines|url=https://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/44900/20201229/killer-fish-3-people-died-after-eating-pufferfish-in-the-philippines.htm|access-date=2021-11-16|website=Nature World News|language=en}}</ref>

In March 2023, an elderly woman and her husband in Malaysia died after consuming pufferfish purchased from a fishmonger.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/04/08/second-senior-citizen-dies-of-puffer-fish-poisoning-in-johor/63884 | title=Second senior citizen dies of puffer fish poisoning in Johor | date=8 April 2023 }}</ref>

In January 2024, a Brazilian man, 46, died after eating pufferfish gifted to him by a friend.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/trends/brazilian-man-46-dies-after-eating-pufferfish-gifted-to-him-by-friend-12160301.html | title=Brazilian man, 46, dies after eating pufferfish gifted to him by friend | date=31 January 2024 }}</ref>

==Preparations==
=== China ===
{{Cspan|text=Although not as frequently consumed as in Japan and Korea,|date=July 2024}} fugu is still considered a delicacy and served across restaurants in [[Beijing]]. Within the Chinese culinary sphere, fugu is generally prepared as a soup or [[braised]] whole.<ref name=SCMP/> {{Cspan|text=The fish may also be prepared using traditional Japanese culinary techniques.|date=July 2024}}

[[File:Fugu-swimming-tank-Tokyo-Japan-Dec2014.ogv|thumb|(video) Fugu in a tank in front of a restaurant in Tokyo]]

=== Japan ===
* Sashimi — The most popular dish is fugu [[sashimi]], also called ''Fugu sashi'' or ''tessa''. Knives with exceptionally thin blades are used for cutting fugu into translucent slices, a technique known as {{nihongo|''Usuzukuri''|薄造, うすづくり}}.<ref name=Morimoto>{{cite book | title = Morimoto: The New Art of Japanese Cooking | first = Masaharu | last = Morimoto | name-list-style = vanc | isbn = 978-0-7566-3123-9 | pages = 151 | publisher = DK Publishing | year = 2007 }}</ref>
* [[Milt]] — The soft [[roe]] (''Shirako'') of the blowfish is a highly prized food item in Japan, and it is often found in department stores. Along with cod milt, it is one of the most popular kinds of soft roe, and it is often grilled and served with salt.
* Fried — Fugu can be eaten [[deep fried]] as ''Fugu Kara-age''.
* Smoked — Fugu-fin [[sake]]. Sake infused with the smoked fin of the blowfish (fugu) to give a distinctive smoky, fishy flavour known as ''Hire-zake''.<ref name="HarperMatsuzaki2006">{{cite book|author1=Philip Harper|author2=Haruo Matsuzaki|title=The Book of Sake: A Connoisseur's Guide|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4IAlLDQWZGMC&pg=PA91|year=2006|publisher=Kodansha International|isbn=978-4-7700-2998-0|pages=91–}}</ref>
* Stew — Vegetables and fugu can be simmered as ''Fugu-chiri'', also called ''tetchiri'', in which case the fish's very light taste is hard to distinguish from the vegetables and the broth.
* Salad — If the spikes in the skin are pulled out, the skin can be eaten as part of a salad called ''yubiki.''

In the cuisine of [[Hakusan, Ishikawa]], ovaries are served after reducing the toxin level by [[Salting (food)|salting]] and [[pickling]] for three years, in a dish named "blowfish ovaries [[Nukazuke|pickled in rice-bran paste]]" {{Nihongo|2=河豚の卵巣の糠漬け, ふぐのらんそうのぬかづけ}}. The dish is only made in specific regions of [[Ishikawa Prefecture]] ([[Mikawa, Ishikawa|Mikawa district]], Ono district, Kanaiwa district, and [[Wajima, Ishikawa|Wajima]]), and only the traditional method is permitted.<ref name="ShofuPrefWhatAre">{{cite web |title=What are Blowfish Ovaries Pickled in Rice-Bran Paste? |url=http://shofu.pref.ishikawa.jp/shofu/dokunuki_e/globefish/about/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170222014930/http://shofu.pref.ishikawa.jp/shofu/dokunuki_e/globefish/about/index.html |archive-date=22 February 2017 |access-date=28 February 2016 |work=Digital Archives of Ishikawa [The Miracle of Poison Removal Pickled Blowfish Ovaries: A Look at the Culture and Skills of Ishikawa] |quote=The only places in Japan where "blowfish ovaries pickled in rice-bran paste " {{sic}} is made are the Mikawa district of Hakusan City, the Ono and Kanaiwa districts of Kanazawa City, and Wajima City, all in Ishikawa Prefecture. [...] none of the producers can change their method of production. "Blowfish ovaries pickled in rice bran " {{sic}} is still being made using the same traditional methods as ever.}}</ref> Non-professionals are warned against attempting the process.<ref name="ShofuPrefHowToMake">{{cite web |title=Blowfish Ovaries Pickled in Rice-bran Paste: How are they made? |url=http://shofu.pref.ishikawa.jp/shofu/dokunuki_e/globefish/howtomake/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160316084000/http://shofu.pref.ishikawa.jp/shofu/dokunuki_e/globefish/howtomake/index.html |archive-date=16 March 2016 |access-date=28 February 2016 |work=Digital Archives of Ishikawa [The Miracle of Poison Removal Pickled Blowfish Ovaries: A Look at the Culture and Skills of Ishikawa]}}</ref> After one year of pickling, about 10% of the toxin is suggested to remain,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://shofu.pref.ishikawa.jp/shofu/dokunuki_e/globefish/detoxication/index.html|title=Blowfish Ovaries Pickled in Rice-bran Paste: How can the poison be removed?|work=Digital Archives of Ishikawa [The Miracle of Poison Removal Pickled Blowfish Ovaries: A Look at the Culture and Skills of Ishikawa]|access-date=28 February 2016|archive-date=28 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141228213318/http://shofu.pref.ishikawa.jp/shofu/dokunuki_e/globefish/detoxication/index.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> and after the full three years the product is "only sold after having been checked for safety through a toxicity inspection, and other tests."<ref name = ShofuPrefHowToMake/>

<gallery widths="200px">
Fugu sashimi.jpg|Plate of ''fugu sashimi''
Fugu-no-Shirako.JPG|''Fugu no Shirako''
Fugu nabe.jpg|''Fugu-nabe'', pufferfish [[hotpot]]
Puffer roe.JPG|''Fugu no ransou nukazuke'', blowfish ovaries pickled in rice-bran paste
</gallery>

=== Korea ===
In [[Korean cuisine]], edible [[Tetraodontidae|pufferfish]] are prepared in various ways including ''[[gui (food)|gui]]'' (grilling), ''[[jorim]]'' (simmering), ''[[jjim]]'', ''[[Bulgogi]]'', ''[[Hoe (food)|Hoe]]'' (raw fish) and ''[[guk (food)|guk]]'' (soup). 

In some villages in [[North Jeolla Province]], Fugu eggs are preserved as [[Jeotgal]] with the supervision by Government of Jeollabuk-do Province. [[Milt]] of Fugu is served at restaurant with raw, semi-roasted salad, full roasted, deep fried and stewed. Smoked Fugu fin is dried and dunk in Traditional [[Soju]] or [[Cheongju (drink)|Cheongju]].

<gallery widths="200px">
6미-복어불고기.jpg|''Bogeo''-[[bulgogi]]
Bogeo-gui.jpg|''Bogeo-[[gui (food)|gui]]'' (grilled pufferfish)
Bogeo-jorim.jpg|''Bogeo-[[jorim]]'' (simmered pufferfish)
Korean soup-Bokguk-01.jpg|''Bok[[guk (food)|guk]]'' (pufferfish soup)
</gallery>

==Availability==
===East Asia===
==== China ====
Despite the comparatively lower consumption rate of the fish in comparison to other East Asian nations, the prevalence of fugu restaurants has experienced a significant surge across Chinese urban areas since 2016. The fish is only sold in a processed form (without organs) with a test certificate from the fishery.<ref name=SCMP/> In 2023, processed raw farmed fugu across China is sold to ordinary customers online.<ref name=ShMP>{{cite web |last=YU|first=Wenyan|trans-title=Pufferfish hits top list for refrigerated whole fish at e-commerce platforms; Shanghai's only fishery: business used to be better at 400 kg per day; "risking death for puffer" is a thing of the past |title=河豚冲上电商平台冰鲜整鱼热卖榜 上海唯一养殖鱼塘：曾一天卖800斤，生意恢复中-"拼死吃河豚"是过去式了 - 周到上海 |url=https://www.shxwcb.com/1006410.html |work=[[Shanghai Morning Post]]|language=zh}}</ref>

==== Japan ====

Most Japanese cities have one or more fugu restaurants, perhaps in clusters because of earlier restrictions, as proximity made it easier when transporting the seafood delicacy so as to preserve its long-term freshness upon being served to potential patrons. A famous restaurant specializing in fugu is ''Takefuku'', in the upscale [[Ginza]] district in [[Tokyo]] with ''Zuboraya'' being another popular restaurant chain in [[Osaka]] that both offer the celebrated seafood delicacy. 

The fugu is cleaned of its most toxic parts in Japan and freeze-flown to the United States under license in clearly customized plastic containers. Fugu chefs who cook in American restaurants are trained under the same rigorous and stringent specifications as in Japan. Pufferfish native to American waters, particularly the genus ''Spheroides'', have also been consumed as a seafood delicacy, sometimes resulting in poisoning incidents.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Landsberg JH, Hall S, Johannessen JN, White KD, Conrad SM, Abbott JP, Flewelling LJ, Richardson RW, Dickey RW, Jester EL, Etheridge SM, Deeds JR, Van Dolah FM, Leighfield TA, Zou Y, Beaudry CG, Benner RA, Rogers PL, Scott PS, Kawabata K, Wolny JL, Steidinger KA | display-authors = 6 | title = Saxitoxin puffer fish poisoning in the United States, with the first report of Pyrodinium bahamense as the putative toxin source | journal = Environmental Health Perspectives | volume = 114 | issue = 10 | pages = 1502–7 | date = October 2006 | pmid = 17035133 | pmc = 1626430 | doi = 10.1289/ehp.8998 | bibcode = 2006EnvHP.114.1502L }}</ref>

==== Korea ====
In [[South Korea|Korea]], fugu is known as ''bok-eo'' (복어), the seafood delicacy is very popular in southern port cities such as [[Busan]] and [[Changwon]]. It is prepared in a number of ways resulting in a variety of dishes ranging from soups, raw fish and salads, all of which command a high price. Fugu ''[[Bulgogi]]'' and ''[[Jorim]]'' are popular in [[Daegu]].

===Europe===
Sale of fish belonging to this family (Tetraodontidae) is forbidden altogether in the [[European Union]].<ref>Regulation (EC) 853/2004 App. III Sec. VIII</ref> In [[Switzerland]], the importation of fugu is legal, but only as long as it is purchased exclusively for private consumption.<ref>[https://www.fedlex.admin.ch/eli/cc/2017/152/de#art_2 SR 817.022.108 Art. 2]</ref>

=== North America ===
==== United States ====
Fugu chefs who cook in American restaurants are trained under the same rigorous and stringent specifications as in Japan. Pufferfish native to American waters, particularly the genus ''Spheroides'', have also been consumed as a seafood delicacy, sometimes resulting in poisoning incidents.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Landsberg JH, Hall S, Johannessen JN, White KD, Conrad SM, Abbott JP, Flewelling LJ, Richardson RW, Dickey RW, Jester EL, Etheridge SM, Deeds JR, Van Dolah FM, Leighfield TA, Zou Y, Beaudry CG, Benner RA, Rogers PL, Scott PS, Kawabata K, Wolny JL, Steidinger KA | display-authors = 6 | title = Saxitoxin puffer fish poisoning in the United States, with the first report of Pyrodinium bahamense as the putative toxin source | journal = Environmental Health Perspectives | volume = 114 | issue = 10 | pages = 1502–7 | date = October 2006 | pmid = 17035133 | pmc = 1626430 | doi = 10.1289/ehp.8998 | bibcode = 2006EnvHP.114.1502L }}</ref> Japanese restaurateur Nobuyoshi Kuraoka waged a five-year legal battle with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to allow the exclusive import of the Japanese Tiger puffer into his Manhattan restaurant, with the license finally being granted to him in 1989.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://people.com/archive/japans-fugu-is-a-delicacy-but-is-it-poisson-or-poison-vol-33-no-3/|title=Japan's Fugu Is a Delicacy—but Is It Poisson or Poison?|work=PEOPLE.com|access-date=2018-08-02|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|last=Restaurant Nippon|title=Puffer Fish from Across the Pacific Ocean Part A|date=2014-08-30|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=6&v=lM-hDMSloSk|access-date=2018-08-02}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/food/1986/05/11/theres-no-fooling-with-the-fugu/74d7b8e1-13f9-4119-aed4-eb07bd84ed5d/|title=There's No Fooling With the Fugu|last=Cromley|first=Marian| name-list-style = vanc |date=1986-05-11|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=2018-08-02|language=en-US|issn=0190-8286}}</ref> By 2003, only seventeen restaurants in the United States were licensed to serve fugu; fourteen in [[New York (state)|New York State]], twelve of which are in [[New York City]].

==Social aspects==
[[File:Hiroshige A Shoal of Fishes Fugu Yellowtail.jpg|thumb|Fugu (right) and [[Japanese amberjack]] by [[Hiroshige]] (1832)]]
In the [[Kansai]] region of Japan, the slang word ''teppō'', ({{lang|ja|[[wikt:鉄砲|鉄砲]]}}) meaning musket, [[rifle]] or [[gun]], is used for the fish. This is a play of words on the verb ''ataru'' ({{lang|ja|当たる}}), which can mean to be poisoned or shot. In [[Shimonoseki]] region, the ancient pronunciation ''fuku'' is more common instead of the modern ''fugu''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.maruha-shinko.co.jp/uodas/syun/32-torafugu.html|script-title=ja:虎河豚（とらふぐ）|publisher=Maruha Shinko|language=ja|access-date=1 October 2011}}</ref> The former is also a [[homonym]] for ''good fortune'' whereas the latter is one for ''disabled.'' The [[Tsukiji fish market]] fugu association holds a service each year at the height of the fugu season, releasing hundreds of caught fugu into the [[Sumida River]]. A similar ceremony is also held at another large market in Shimonoseki.

A ''[[rakugo]]'', or humorous short story, tells of three men who prepared a fugu stew but were unsure whether it was safe to eat. To test the stew, they gave some to a beggar. When it did not seem to do him any harm, they ate the stew. Later, they met the beggar again and were delighted to see that he was still in good health. After that encounter, the beggar, who had hidden the stew instead of eating it, knew that it was safe and he could eat it. The three men had been fooled by the wise beggar.

[[Lantern]]s can be made from the bodies of preserved fugu. These are occasionally seen outside of fugu restaurants, as children's toys, as folk art, or as souvenirs. Fugu skin is also made into everyday objects like wallets or waterproof boxes.

==Aquaculture==
Scientists at [[Nagasaki University]] have succeeded in culturing non-toxic torafugu by restricting the fish's diet. The experiment included raising over 5,000 fish between the years 2001–2004, and analyzing the toxicity of muscle, skin, gonads, livers, and other organs. The team concluded that the amount of tetrodotoxin in all those parts was non-toxic, and it would allow for the safe preparation of ''fugu-kimo'' (puffer liver).<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Noguchi|first1=Tamao|last2=Arakawa|first2=Osamu|last3=Takatani|first3=Tomohiro|date=2006|title=Toxicity of pufferfish Takifugu rubripes cultured in netcages at sea or aquaria on land|url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1744117X05000274|journal=Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part D: Genomics and Proteomics|language=en|volume=1|issue=1|pages=153–157|doi=10.1016/j.cbd.2005.11.003|pmid=20483246 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> [[Usuki, Ōita|Usuki]], a town in [[Ōita Prefecture]], has become known for selling non-poisonous fugu by 2008.<ref name="NYT1"/>

Blowfish, specifically the [[obscure pufferfish]] and the torafugu, has been farmed in China since 1993 under the state-owned Tianzheng company. {{As of|2012}}, most such fish is exported to Japan and South Korea, with a small domestic luxury market that has been operating under license since 2003.<ref>{{cite web |title=Blowfish — China's latest seafood luxury {{!}} SeafoodSource |url=https://www.seafoodsource.com/news/foodservice-retail/blowfish-china-s-latest-seafood-luxury |website=www.seafoodsource.com}}</ref><ref name=SCMP/>

== See also ==
*[[Cuisine of China]]
*[[Cuisine of Japan]]
*[[Cuisine of Korea]]
*[[Delicacy]]
*[[Fugu Plan]]
*"[[One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish]]"
*[[Shanghai Fugu Agreement]]

== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite journal | vauthors = Bane V, Lehane M, Dikshit M, O'Riordan A, Furey A | title = Tetrodotoxin: chemistry, toxicity, source, distribution and detection | journal = Toxins | volume = 6 | issue = 2 | pages = 693–755 | date = February 2014 | pmid = 24566728 | pmc = 3942760 | doi = 10.3390/toxins6020693 | doi-access = free }}
* {{cite journal | vauthors = Lago J, Rodríguez LP, Blanco L, Vieites JM, Cabado AG | title = Tetrodotoxin, an Extremely Potent Marine Neurotoxin: Distribution, Toxicity, Origin and Therapeutical Uses | journal = Marine Drugs | volume = 13 | issue = 10 | pages = 6384–406 | date = October 2015 | pmid = 26492253 | pmc = 4626696 | doi = 10.3390/md13106384 | doi-access = free }}
* {{cite web|title=Survey of Tetrodotoxin Syntheses |date=2004-06-02 |last=Miller |first=Steve | name-list-style = vanc 
|url=https://www.princeton.edu/~orggroup/supergroup_pdf/SuperGroupMeetingJune2nd.pdf
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151123235816/https://www.princeton.edu/~orggroup/supergroup_pdf/SuperGroupMeetingJune2nd.pdf |archive-date=2015-11-23 |url-status=live
}}
* {{cite journal | title = Tetrodotoxin Poisoning Associated With Eating Puffer Fish Transported from Japan | url = https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00041514.htm | format = online PDF | access-date = 27 February 2016 | date = 1996-05-17 | journal = Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report | volume = 45 | issue = 19 | pages = 389–412 | author = Centers for Disease Control | author-link = Centers for Disease Control }}
* {{cite journal |url = http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic576.htm |title = Toxicity, Tetrodotoxin |last = Benzer |first = Theodore | name-list-style = vanc |year = 2005 |publisher = Emedicine.com }}
*Sueyoshi´, [https://web.archive.org/web/20041009211722/http://www.coara.or.jp/~sueyoshi/data03/fugu00.html Sueyoshi's pages on fishes]. Retrieved Sep 11, 2004
* {{cite web
 |url         = http://fugu.biology.qmul.ac.uk/
 |title       = The Fugu Genomics Project
 |publisher   = Queen Mary university of London
 |work        = School of Biological & Chemical Sciences
 |access-date  = 2006-04-11
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20090322052027/http://fugu.biology.qmul.ac.uk/
 |archive-date = 2009-03-22
}}
* {{cite journal | vauthors = Elgar G, Clark MS, Meek S, Smith S, Warner S, Edwards YJ, Bouchireb N, Cottage A, Yeo GS, Umrania Y, Williams G, Brenner S | title = Generation and analysis of 25 Mb of genomic DNA from the pufferfish Fugu rubripes by sequence scanning | journal = Genome Research | volume = 9 | issue = 10 | pages = 960–71 | date = October 1999 | pmid = 10523524 | pmc = 310822 | doi = 10.1101/gr.9.10.960 | url = http://fugu.biology.qmul.ac.uk/Publications/Elgar_1999/ | access-date = 2008-01-14 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080129075758/http://fugu.biology.qmul.ac.uk/Publications/Elgar_1999/ | archive-date = 2008-01-29 | url-status = dead }}
* {{cite magazine|title=The Preposterous Puffer|magazine=[[National Geographic (magazine)|National Geographic]]|first=Noel D.|last=Vietmeyer| name-list-style = vanc |pages=260–270|volume=166|issue=2|date=August 1984|issn=0027-9358|oclc=643483454}}
{{refend}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Fugu dishes}}

* [http://www.kyoshi.or.jp/inv-haiku/routine.htm Personal Account of surviving a fugu poisoning]
* [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-18065372 BBC article with video of fugu preparation]
* [http://baheyeldin.com/fishing/eating-fugu-puffer-fish.html Fugu eaten from the Red Sea, with no poisoning at all]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071116205104/http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0505/feature1/multimedia3.html ''A Delicacy to Die For'' at National Geographic Magazine]
* {{UCSC genomes|fr3}}
*Saveur Magazine [https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=39&v=JBZbfnUn_JA video] of Manhattan's Restaurant Nippon's Fugu dishes. 
*Subtitled [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lM-hDMSloSk documentary] on Nobuyoshi Kuraoka's 5-year battle with the FDA to serve Fugu at his Manhattan restaurant.

{{Japanese food and drink}}
{{Portal bar|Japan|South Korea|Fish|Food}}

[[Category:Articles containing video clips]]
[[Category:Chinese seafood]]
[[Category:East Asian seafood]]
[[Category:Fish common names]]
[[Category:Japanese cuisine terms]]
[[Category:Japanese seafood]]
[[Category:Korean seafood]]
[[Category:Tetraodontidae]]