The History of Fugu

The History of Fugu

Overview

1. What is Fugu? 2. History/Rise as a Delicacy 3. What is Tetrodotoxin? 4. When was it Globally Introduced?

It is then sliced very thinly for preparation.

Before the pufferfish even reaches a chef's hand, they are typically farmed under excessively controlled conditions (to reduce toxins).

The slices are placed in intricate patterns for the dish called fugu sashi, or placed in hot pot dishes known as fugu nabe, or deep fried (karaage).

The liver, guts, ovaries, skin, and other parts are all carefully removed because they contain tetrodotoxin, which is lethal to humans.

Fugu is a Japanese dish that is made from pufferfish meat. First, the pufferfish is skinned, and the insides are taken out. This leaves just the thin white meat, then sliced and plated raw or fried. It is considered a luxury dish because only a skillful licensed chef can prepare the meal due to its lethal risk.

What is Fugu?

- Fugu is mentioned as a food source in the Nihon Shoki, the second oldest historical record of Japan. - Eaten out of necessity - Also speculated to have been part of spiritual practices, because low does of tetrodoxtin can cause hallucinations.

History/Rise as a Delicacy

Jomon Period (10,000 BCE-300 BCE)

Azuchi-Momoyama Period (1568-1600)

- Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537-1598), the ruler of Japan at the time, prohibitted the consumption of fugu because of the consistent deaths.

Meji Period (1868-1912)

- Because of constant turmoil with many people opposing the ban; prime minister, Ito Hirobumi, ate fugu and loved it he convinced the governor of the Yamaguchi Prefecture to lift the ban. - A lot of regulations were enforced, including that you must have a licsence to serve fugu. - Was now seen as a delicacy because of its expensive need to be carefully prepared and its risk of death.

Shimonoseki is known as the "Fugu Capital" of Japan

Current Day

- Fugu is still seen as a luxury food and is served at high-class restaurants either raw, fried, or in hot soup.- Fugu is exported to other nations and has gained popularity worldwide.

What is Tetrodotoxin?

Tetrodotoxin's lethal dosage is 1-2 mg, making it more toxic than cyanide which has a lethal doesage of 200-300 mg. If consumed, it'll block sodium channels in nerve cells which will prevent nerve and muscle communication, This leads to a loss of sensation, paralysis, and respiratory failure. However, because of its ability to prevent nerve and muscle communication, tetrodotoxin has been studied to relieve severe cancer paitents of pain.

Tetrodotoxin is a bacteria that naturally inhabits the guts of pufferfish. Since they both share a common genetic basis, the pufferfish are not negatively affected by tetrodotoxin. In fact, when provoked pufferfish will release this toxin through their skin which then sickens or kills the predator.

In Pufferfish...

In Humans...

When was it Globally Introduced?

• After World War ll, Japanese cuisine developed interest worldwide, but it wasn't until the 1980s/90s when there was an international rise of sushi consumption.
• Fugu appeared in high-end Japanese restaurants in major cities like Paris, London, and New York.
• Although now fugu imports are banned in the European Union, Thailand, India, Australia, and other countries.
• In the US, fugu can only be imported by licensed Japanese suppilers who have already removed the toxic components. And only specialized licensed chefs are allowed to serve fugu in the US.
• It is not banned in Japan (only highly regulated).
• Fugu is also low in fat and high in protein, which increased its popularity

''Fugu is seen as a symbol of good fortune and courage"

Fugu is said to bring good luck

Resources Used

01

“MICHELIN Guide Focus: Fugu, a Winter Food.” MICHELIN Guide, guide.michelin.com/jp/en/article/dining-out/restaurant-secrets-fugu-the-deadly-delicacy.‌

02

Glionna, John M. “Blowfish’s Bad Rap Is Killing Him.” Los Angeles Times, Apr. 2009, www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-japan-blowfish1-2009apr01-story.html. Accessed 20 Nov. 2024.‌

03

“In China, Eating Pufferfish Is No Longer a Dance with Death.” South China Morning Post, 7 Feb. 2019, www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/2185125/pufferfish-china-beijing-diners-lured-delicacy-now-country-has.‌

04

“The History of Fugu Fish.” KNAJFI, knajfi.com/en/blogs/news/the-history-of-fugu-fish.‌

05

“A Taste for Danger: The Hazardous History of Fugu.” Nippon.com, 19 Jan. 2018, www.nippon.com/en/column/g00468/?cx_recs_click=true. Accessed 20 Nov. 2024.‌

06

“[Shimonoseki Shunpanro] about Fugu (Blowfish) | Shunpanro Is the First Publicly Licensed Restaurant to Serve Fugu (Blowfish) Dishes in Japan.” [Shimonoseki Shunpanro] | Shunpanro Is the First Publicly Licensed Restaurant to Serve Fugu (Blowfish) Dishes in Japan, 2024, www.shunpanro.com/en/fugu-browfish/. Accessed 20 Nov. 2024.‌

07

Lago, Jorge, et al. “Tetrodotoxin, an Extremely Potent Marine Neurotoxin: Distribution, Toxicity, Origin and Therapeutical Uses.” Marine Drugs, vol. 13, no. 10, 19 Oct. 2015, pp. 6384–6406, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4626696/#sec6-marinedrugs-13-06384title, https://doi.org/10.3390/md13106384.‌

08

“Fugu and Tetrodotoxin: How the Pufferfish Can Kill.” Compound Interest, 17 Jan. 2018, www.compoundchem.com/2018/01/17/fugu/.‌

09

“Dolphins Purposely “Getting High” on Pufferfish - Dolphins - Spy in the Pod: Episode 2 - BBC One.” Www.youtube.com, www.youtube.com/watch?v=msx3BAhIeQg.‌

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