Firstly, there are parts of the puffer fish which if consumed are fatal to humans. Some of the poisons found in the puffer fish are enough to cause death, and so the question remains, how exactly were the ‘safe to eat’ parts of the puffer fish found? It is more than likely that someone had to taste each part.

A puffer fish is in fact the second most poisonous vertebrate on the planet (poisonous frogs top the list).

It is particular puffer fish internal organs that are the most dangerous, and thus the fish is often prepared by specialist chefs. There are various ways to succumb to puffer fish poisoning after consumption, however, some of the symptoms are dizziness and a numbing of the mouth and lips and are often an indication of puffer fish poisoning. It is not certain whether the puffer fish produces poison itself, or whether it carrys poisons carried by shellfish it has eaten and subsequently retains the poison in its organs.

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