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This is what the fish actually looks like. Shutterstock

Japan activates emergency system to warn people about deadly blowfish

The toxic parts of the fugu fish may have been sold by mistake.

A JAPANESE CITY has activated an emergency warning system to alert residents to avoid eating locally purchased blowfish, after a mix-up saw toxic parts of the delicacy go on sale.

A supermarket in Gamagori in central Japan sold five packages of fugu fish without removing the livers, which can contain a deadly poison.

Three of the potentially lethal specimens have been located, but the other two remain at large, local official Koji Takayanagi told AFP.

“We are calling for residents to avoid eating fugu, using Gamagori city’s emergency wireless system,” which broadcasts over loudspeakers located around the city, he told AFP.

“Three packages will be retrieved today, but we still don’t know where the remaining two are.”

Fugu is one of Japan’s most expensive winter delicacies, and is often served in thin slices of sashimi or hot pot.

But the fish’s skins, intestines, ovaries and livers contain a poison called tetrodotoxin that can be fatal.

The part of the fish that contains the deadly poison differs from one kind of fugu to another.

Japanese chefs are required to obtain a special permit to prepare the fish, but several people in Japan are killed each year by incorrectly prepared fugu, with dozens more suffering non-fatal side effects, according to the health ministry.

“Eating a blowfish liver can paralyse motor nerves, and in a serious case cause respiratory arrest leading to death,” regional officials said in a warning statement.

© – AFP 2018

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    Mute ⚡ Seánie ⚡
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    Jan 16th 2018, 7:40 AM

    Talk about life on the edge. And I thought having some fish fingers from the freezer that had passed their best before date was risky….

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    Mute cortisola
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    Jan 16th 2018, 1:54 PM

    @⚡ Seánie ⚡: You got fungi instead of fugu.

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    Mute Louise Bloomfield
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    Jan 16th 2018, 3:48 PM

    @⚡ Seánie ⚡: Comment of the year (so far!)

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    Mute Dave O'Hanlon
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    Jan 16th 2018, 8:18 AM

    Do you ever wonder did homer ever actually survive eating the blowfish, has everything that’s happened to him since just been a dream. I mean cmon his kids don’t age

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    Mute Quentin Moriarty
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    Jan 16th 2018, 8:14 AM

    The episode of Columbo with Louis Jourdan as the chef comes to mind .
    Brilliant acting and storyline .

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    Mute Ger
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    Jan 16th 2018, 8:34 AM

    @Quentin Moriarty: I immediately thought about an episode of The Simpsons where Homer eats one and is given hours to live. Good acting there too. The characters were very animated.

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    Mute Daniel O'Connor
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    Jan 16th 2018, 9:52 AM

    @Quentin Moriarty: it’s called Murder Under the Glass. Great episode.

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    Mute JJ
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    Jan 16th 2018, 8:19 AM

    I want Fugu!

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    Mute Etherman
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    Jan 16th 2018, 8:14 AM

    It takes guts to do that job.

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    Mute thomas patrick
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    Jan 17th 2018, 6:51 AM

    @Etherman: takes more to eat it

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    Mute JJ
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    Jan 16th 2018, 10:17 AM

    How feckin tasty is Fugu? I mean, just stop eating it? Is it tastier than, say, chicken wings with Franks Hot Sauce? Probably not! So every time a Japanese parent says “I fancy Fugu for dinner” they should just say “Ah fuggit, we’ll have chicken wings”

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    Mute Permo Dermo
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    Jan 16th 2018, 10:54 AM

    @JJ: Fugu tastes quite bland and numbs the mouth and throat. It’s a macho thing for Japanese males.

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    Mute cortisola
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    Jan 16th 2018, 1:56 PM

    @JJ: It is same fun you have shooting revolver while playing russian roulette.

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    Mute Harry Whitehead
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    Jan 16th 2018, 9:07 AM

    Any more information on how exactly this cockup happened in the first place? Japan is normally very stringent on these rules. – the remains of the fish have to be disposed of separately in biohazard containers and a fugu license takes YEARS to acquire.

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    Mute Tndo
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    Jan 16th 2018, 7:58 AM

    Japan needs to go away

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    Mute Seth Cheffetz
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    Jan 16th 2018, 8:00 AM

    @Tndo: wouldn’t mind if you did as well

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    Mute Stephen Kennedy
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    Jan 16th 2018, 8:02 AM

    Go where ? To your mommies basement ?

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    Mute Tndo
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    Jan 16th 2018, 4:32 PM

    @Stephen Kennedy: yeah i dont mind ,anywhere that keeps them away from whales ,

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    Mute barreeeeeeeee
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    Jan 16th 2018, 1:26 PM

    Doh

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