The fish is said to be a delicacy in Japan, Korea and China where it is served in high-end restaurants.
FMT takes a closer look at the deadly fish which is said to claim the lives of about 100 people annually.
What are pufferfish?
Pufferfish or Tetraodontidae is an omnivorous fish found in the waters of most tropical climates and temperate zones, near regions such as Southeast Asia, South America and Africa.
When threatened, the pufferfish, also known as a blowfish, fills its elastic stomach with water so that it inflates and its spikes point out.
Pufferfish poisoning
The toxin in pufferfish, tetrodotoxin, is said to be one of the deadliest naturally occurring poisons.
Tetrodotoxin is found in the liver, the reproductive organs, the intestines and the skin of a pufferfish. It is said that the ovaries are extremely toxic, while the testicles are a delicacy.
The poisonous parts, however, can vary by species.
According to National Geographic, there is sufficient poison in one pufferfish to kill 30 adults. There is also no known antidote.
Consuming pufferfish that had not been prepared by certified chefs may lead to food poisoning similar to paralytic shellfish poisoning, due to poor removal of toxins.
The symptoms of pufferfish poisoning include salivation, numbness, tingling around the mouth, nausea and vomiting. These symptoms can manifest between 10 to 45 minutes after consumption.
According to the Food and Drug Administration of the United States, the toxins cannot be destroyed by cooking or freezing. Freezing and thawing pufferfish prior to removing the toxic organs may result in the toxins migrating into the flesh of the fish.
Banned in Malaysia
In Japan, pufferfish is known as fugu and can only be prepared by chefs who have passed a fugu-handling examination, usually after completing an apprenticeship and rigorous training under someone already qualified to handle fugu.
In Malaysia, the sale of pufferfish is banned under the Food Act, which stipulates that any food that has in or upon it any substance which is poisonous, harmful or otherwise injurious to health, is prohibited.
“Therefore, pufferfish which contain dangerous toxins are not allowed to be sold,” said health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.