Where Is Pufferfish Poisonous? The Ovaries and Liver Are the Most Toxic Parts

Pufferfish contain a natural toxin called tetrodotoxin, which is highly poisonous, and ordinary cooking methods such as heating and pickling can hardly destroy it completely. Therefore, understanding which parts harbor the toxin is the prerequisite for safely recognizing and handling pufferfish.

The toxin is not evenly distributed within the pufferfish body. Generally speaking, the ovaries and liver contain the most toxin and are the most dangerous parts; the blood, skin, eyes, gills and intestines also often carry the toxin. The muscle contains relatively less toxin, but during handling it can likewise become toxic if contaminated by the internal organs or blood, and the toxicity also varies considerably among different species and different individuals.

Tetrodotoxin mainly acts on the nervous system. After poisoning, symptoms such as numbness of the lips, weakness of the limbs, nausea and vomiting may appear, and in severe cases it can be life-threatening. There is currently no specific antidote, so one must never slaughter and eat pufferfish on one's own based on experience.

Precisely because of the high risk, China has strict regulations on the processing and sale of pufferfish. Ordinary consumers should buy professionally processed products through proper channels, and should not catch, slaughter or eat pufferfish of unknown origin on their own, nor casually feed pufferfish to poultry or pets, so as to avoid accidents.