Fugu – Aphrodisiac Thrill of Eating Blowfish

the dangerous food of Japanese cuisine

It is one of the ocean’s ugliest creatures, not to mention most deadly. Yet the market for blowfish, (also called puffer fish or fugu), is alive and well in Japan where the fish’s dangerous flesh offers the aphrodisiac of adrenaline. The danger with fugu does not lie in the act of capturing it. (Although that’s usually the problem with capturing exotic creatures of the deep.) With blowfish, it is the eating that’s the problem. Some even call it the culinary form of Russian roulette.

Why puffer fish is deadlier than cyanide

The danger of this odd-looking, warm water fish is that it carries a high content of a poison called tetrodotoxin. And this poison is considered to be more than 1,000 times deadlier than cyanide.

In Japan, fugu restaurant chefs must be specially licensed to serve this deadly delicacy. The training to earn the status of Fugu Chef takes several years of instruction and practice in the art of removing the highly toxic sections of the fish. The idea is to remove the poisons so that only the non-dangerous flesh remains. Should puffer fish preparation be performed improperly, there is no known antidote. The diner’s central nervous system shuts down. And this last supper kills him or her with surprising rapidity.

Why is fugu sushi considered aphrodisiac?

It’s the sense of danger surrounding a blowfish feast that makes this toxic sea creature one of the world’s best-known aphrodisiacs. But in addition, fugu has a numbing effect that feels a bit like Novocain on the inside of the cheeks. Some say it is the tingling sensation most diners experience in their lips and cheeks from the trace of poison remaining in the “safe” flesh of the fish is that gives blowfish its sexy allure. Others insist that it is strictly the fugu testicles soaked in sake–not the filets–which makes fugu effective as an aphrodisiac.

Because of the delicate preparation requiring a highly skilled chef, blowfish is one of the most expensive foods sold in the world today. However, modern scientists are working on breeding a new variety of blowfish. It will offer the puffer’s delicate taste and texture but will be fully toxin-free. Advocates of this dangerous aphrodisiac insist that, danger-free, fugu won’t have a sensual allure.

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Amy Reiley

An award-winning author of five aphrodisiac cookbooks with an MA in Gastronomy, Amy Reiley has spent the past 18 years studying the history and science behind aphrodisiac foods. She speaks on aphrodisiacs globally and has brought her knowledge of aphrodisiac foods to national television shows including The Today Show and CBS Early Show. Amy is also a freelance food, wine and health writer and wine competition judge. Her work has appeared in publications ranging from Variety to The Daily Meal. She is a former wine editor for Gayot.com and wine & spirits editor of Las Vegas magazine. Most importantly, Amy is a mother to 2 human children and 1 standard poodle.

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