“In Abuja, people do bring in the fish from outside. “Studies have shown that the toxin in one pufferfish is enough to kill 30 adults in a very short time and then there is no antidote for it. READ ALSO: Containers laden with rotten fish, other edibles, found in Apapa “It is not that it cannot be eaten but the poison is so deadly we just want to discourage people from eating it. “Creating awareness is to discourage people from eating it because they will not know how to prepare it. The toxin is called tetrodotoxin and it is about 1200 times more poisonous than cyanide,” he said. We went from market to market and only populated places and restaurants to show them how the fish looks like, because it contains a toxin so deadly. “That is why we have to go on a campaign to create awareness. ![]() “That led the ministry of health of Ghana to notify our federal ministry of health and because FCT is a seat of government, the Minister of Health wrote to the Minister of (the) Federal Capital Territory to ensure that such a case is not found in the FCT. Three out of the five people in that family lost their life. “A family ate pufferfish in Ghana, all of them were rushed to the hospital. It is also found in places like Abuja and other places in the North and in the South. “You know Lagos is close to the ocean, that is a marine environment. “Yes, they are found everywhere in this country. Mr Dabit said the fish can also be found in Nigeria. “Because of the high risk, chefs must undergo two to three years of training to obtain a fugu preparing license,” he said. ‘’Surprisingly, the meat of some pufferfish is considered a delicacy, especially in Japan and (it) is only specialised chefs that are licensed to even prepare it. It’s mostly seen in Asia countries.”Īccording to him, some people still eat pufferfish around the world, despite having such deadly venom. Speaking to PREMIUM TIMES, Mr Dabit, said, “This fish is so deadly and poisonous. In 2009, there were 50 cases but no deaths. It is the most common natural marine toxin causing food poisoning in the country. Pufferfish is a popular traditional dish in Japan. In the U.S., a case of tetrodotoxin poisoning, related to pufferfish, was reported in Virginia in 2014 and two also occurred in Minneapolis in the same year. ![]() In 2016, five people in an inland community in Sylhet died from eating pufferfish. In 2008, inland populations in Bangladesh reportedly purchased unknowingly cheap pufferfish at local markets, which gave rise to three outbreaks with 141 cases and 17 deaths.Ī similar outbreak occurred in Khulna, involving 37 cases with eight fatalities in 2002. It has also been isolated from other species including California newt, starfish, blue-ringed octopus, goby, parrotfish, angelfish, xanthid crabs and shellfish. In certain species, the internal organs such as the liver, intestines and sometimes the skin contain tetrodotoxin which is highly poisonous when eaten. Majority of these species are toxic, and some are among the most poisonous vertebrates in the world. Report has it that there are more than 120 species of pufferfish worldwide. It belongs to the family of Tetraodontidae, with many species which are variously called pufferfish – toadfish, globefish, blowfish, balloon fish, bubble fish, swellfish, toadies, sea squab, sugar toads and honey toads. Pufferfish, commonly known as fugu in Japan, is found in tropical and subtropical ocean waters, but some species live in fresh and brackish water. Mr Dabit, disclosed this in an interview with PREMIUM TIMES on Monday. The Assistant Director, Fisheries of the Federal Capital Territory Administration’s Department of Fishery, Jonah Dabit, has warned Nigerians to be wary of the danger of consuming a lethal fish animal group called the pufferfish.
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