Pufferfish Poisoning
Tetrodotoxin can be used in reference to a rare, and potentially severe illness that can result from eating pufferfish (also known as blowfish, or balloonfish). Certain species of pufferfish have been known to produce this toxin which is stored in the edible muscle of the fish. If consumed this toxin can cause a potential lethal condition known as "fugu poisoning" .
Prevention
Some pufferfish are eaten, but most consumers are not able to distinguish the dangerous vs. safe species. In Florida there are 8 species of pufferfish and some of these can produce toxins. For this reason, the safest recommendation is to DO NOT eat pufferfish caught in Florida.
