Did You Know About Fugu?

Wrapping the fish. 

Fugu (river pig) is the Japanese word for pufferfish and foods made from these fish of the genus Takifugu, Lagocephalus, or Sphoeroides) or porcupine fish (of the genus Diodon). Fugu can be very toxic because it contains tetradotoxin, because it must be careful provision to remove toxic parts so as not to contaminate the meat.
Prep cook at a restaurant Fugu very closely watched by law in Japan and several other countries, only a qualified chef and has special training are allowed to handle these fish. Preparation at home will usually result in death.

Fugu is served as sashimi and chirinabe. The most delicious part of the Fugu is the liver, but also the most toxic, and presentation of this organ has been banned in Japan in 1984. Fugu has become one of the most famous and challenging dishes in Japanese cuisine.

Toxic Ingredients. 

Fugu contains a number of deadly poison tetrodotoxin in the organs, especially the liver, ovaries and skin. Fugu poison is sodium flow barrier, paralyzes the muscles while the victim is conscious. The victim can not breathe and eventually dies from asphyxiation. There is no known antidote, the standard treatment is to help the victims of respiratory and circulatory assist systems until the poison is metabolized and excreted by the body.
Advances in research and cultivation has enabled farmers to produce mass Fugu. The researchers suspect that the Fugu tetrodotoxin came from eating other animals that contain tetrodotoxin-laden bacteria and that these fish have developed immunity in the body over time. Today, many farmers producing fugu 'poison-free' fugu by removing the bacteria. Usuki, a town in Oita Prefecture has been known in fugu sales are free of toxins.

History. 

Japan's population has been eating fugu for hundreds of years. Fugu bones can be found in several mounds called Kaizuka, from the Jomon era more than 2,300 years ago. Tokugawa Empire (1603-1868) forbade the consumption of fugu in Edo and his realm to another. Fugu become a habit again after the effect of weakening the empire. In the western part of Japan, where the influence of weak governance and fugu is more easily obtained, a variety of ways to cook fugu developed to be safe to consume. During the Meiji era (1867-1912), fugu again banned in many areas. Fugu also be the only food that is prohibited in the Empire of Japan, for his safety. Fugu in earlier times and now is a favorite dish in China is mentioned in the literature about the early 400 BC. Fugu be the first order of the three types of the most delicious food of the Yangtze river.

Species. 

Torafugu, or tiger pufferfish (Takifugu) is an edible species most classy and most toxic. Other species are also edible are: Higanfugu (T. pardalis), Shōsaifugu (T. vermicularis syn. Snyderi), and Mafugu (T. porphyreus). Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare of Japan have data that shows which part of the body of the edible species. List the name of the genus Lagochepalus safe and Sphoeroides and porcupine fish (Harisenbon) of the genus Diodon.

Policy. 

Strict arrest policy now in force in Japan to protect populations from extinction Fugu. Fugu mostly harvested in the spring of all time'' spawning'' and then cultured in net cages in the Pacific Ocean. Place the biggest selling fugu in Japan is in Shimonoseki.
Fugu prices rise in autumn and highest in winter, this season is second best because the fish will be more fat to survive in the cold. Live fish that arrived at the restaurant and lived in a large aquarium with a strikingly demonstrated. Fugu ready existing in grocery stores, are required to present an official license. Intact fish should not be sold to the public.
Since 1958, fugu chefs must obtain a license to prepare and sell fugu to the public, it takes 2-3 years of training. Licensing examination process consists of a written test, a fish identification test and practice test; preparing and eating fish. Only 35% of applicants who pass. Small errors lead to failure or, rarely, death. Consumers believe that this training process makes eating fugu in restaurants or markets safe. Commercially Fugu sometimes large in the environment that cause less toxic fish.
Starting in 2012, the restaurant Fugu in Japan can sell in packs that have been processed by the managers that have been licensed.

Price. 

A plate of Fugu can be sold ¥ 5,000 (about U.S. $ 50), but can also be found at a price of 2000 yen (about U.S. $ 20), and a full meal Fugu (usually 8 servings) can cost 10,000-20,000 yen (nearly U.S. $ 100-200) or better. Costs incurred to appreciate the chef slicing fish very carefully to get the most amount of meat. Special knife, called fugu hiki is usually sold separately from the other knives in the store.

Processing. 

Sashimi - the most popular food is fugu sashimi, also called Fugu sashi or tessa. The knife used to cut very thin so it can be sliced ​​fugu transparent, a technique known as usuzukuri.

Fugu Shirako.

 

Milt - eggs / roe ( Shirako ) puffer fish is a valuable food high in Japan .Usually found in department stores, and like cod milt, soft roe becomes kind of the most popular. Processing baked and served with salt.
Fried - Fugu can be eaten with fried as Fugu Kara-age. Bake - perfect fins dried, roasted and served with hot sake, this food is called Hire-Zake. Boil - Vegetables and fugu can be boiled as Fugu-CHIRI, or tetchiri, very mild fish taste so difficult to distinguish from the vegetables and sauce. Salad - If thorn pulled out skin, the skin can be eaten as a salad called yubiki.

Toxins. 

Tetrodotoxin (TTX) is a potential neurotoxin that can shut down electrical signals in nerves by binding to the pores of sodium channel proteins in nerve cell membranes. Tetrodotoxin is not lost when cooked. TTX does not mix with the blood flow to the brain, so that the victim was conscious when his muscles paralyzed. Experiments conducted on mice, the levels found 8 ɲg LD50 per kg of body weight. Pufferfish toxin is less susceptible due to mutations in the protein sequence of the sodium channel cells.
As mentioned previously, the availability of commercially fugu in supermarkets or restaurants is very safe, and although it does not sound, because the toxicity of this product is very rare. Most deaths by fugu caused by untrained people catch and process fish, accidentally poisoning themselves. In some cases, they even eat the most toxic parts of the liver as a flavoring.
Recent evidence suggests that tetrodotoxin is produced from a type of bacteria - such as Pseudoalteromonas tetraodonis, certain species of Pseudomonas and Vibrio, and others which are a source of toxic pufferfish.
Due to high levels of toxins and a high chance of death if not treated properly, fugu is the only food that should not be eaten by the Emperor of Japan.

Treatment. 

Symptoms of digesting the dose that causes death by tetrodotoxin is dizziness, fatigue, headache, nausea, or difficulty breathing. The victim remained conscious but unable to speak or move. Breathing stops followed by asphyxiation.
There is no known antidote, treatment is carried out as follows: empty the contents of the stomach, take charcoal to bind the toxins, and provide medical assistance to toxins is reduced. Toxicologist from Japan at several medical research centers are now working on the development of an antidote for tetrodotoxin.
Thank you for reading this article. Written and posted by Bambang Sunarno. sunarnobambang86@gmail.com
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name: Bambang Sunarno.
http://www.1911blogs.blogspot.com/2014/03/did-you-know-about-fugu.html
DatePublished:  Maret 02, 2014 at 11.23
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Tag : Did You Know About Fugu?.