First report on identification of food poisoning from ingestion of dried seasoned puffer fish fillet

Abstract

Dried seasoned puffer fish fillet was suspected for a paralytic food poisoning incident occurred in Taichung, Taiwan, in February 1998. Symptoms included severe numbness of lips. The uneaten portion was analyzed for toxicity and toxic composition. The dried seasoned puffer fish fillet showed a high toxicity of 525 mouse units per gram by tetrodotoxin bioassay. The sample was purified with Diaflo YM-1 membrane Ultrafiltration and run through Bio-Gel P-2 chromatography. The purified toxin, analyzed with thin layer chromatography, electrophoresis and high performance liquid chromatography, indicated that the causative toxic agents were tetrodotoxin and anhydrotetrodotoxin.