One Dead, Three Hospitalized After Eating Pufferfish
Off the Coast of Jindo
In the waters off Jindo, South Jeolla Province, foreign crew members who prepared and ate pufferfish themselves were poisoned, resulting in one death and three others currently receiving hospital treatment.
According to the Mokpo Coast Guard on the 29th, at around 1:18 a.m. on this day, a report was received that four Vietnamese crew members on a 29-ton hairtail fishing vessel operating off the coast of Jodo-myeon, Jindo County, were showing abnormal health symptoms after eating pufferfish.
The Mokpo Coast Guard transported them to a hospital, but a crew member in his 40s, referred to as Mr. A, died. Three other crew members in their 40s, 30s, and 20s are receiving treatment at the hospital.
It is known that at around 11 p.m. the previous day, they personally prepared and ate the pufferfish. There were eight people on the boat, including the captain, but only these four consumed the pufferfish.
Pufferfish eggs and internal organs contain the neurotoxin tetrodotoxin. Initial symptoms include numbness of the lips and tongue, headache, and vomiting. In severe cases, this can progress to respiratory distress and paralysis. In the most serious cases, death can occur. Su Dongpo, a poet of the Song Dynasty in China, famously said, "One risks one's life to eat pufferfish."
Meanwhile, pufferfish toxin, which is about 1,200 times more lethal than potassium cyanide, is mainly concentrated in the liver, ovaries, and skin. Symptoms can appear within minutes to several hours after ingestion.
According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, pufferfish must be prepared by a qualified chef who can remove the toxin, and it is extremely dangerous for the general public to handle it themselves. If symptoms of pufferfish poisoning appear, it is important to immediately induce vomiting, call 119, and seek medical attention as quickly as possible.
It is known that about 40 species of pufferfish inhabit Korean waters. Due to the dangers of pufferfish toxin, only 21 species are permitted for consumption. The types of pufferfish that can be purchased at fish markets or enjoyed at restaurants include Bokseom, Jollbok, Geombok, Kkachilbok, Eunmilbok, Heukmilbok, Minmilbok, Kkachibok, Jajubok, Chambok, and Hwangbok.
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