2 ill after eating puffer fish

January 04, 2013

The Centre for Health Protection today reminded people not to consume puffer fish, after a pair fell ill from eating it.
 
A 33-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman fell ill two hours after eating the fish for dinner last night in their home. Their friend had caught and processed the dried puffer fish in the Mainland.
 
They sought medical treatment at Queen Mary Hospital's Accident & Emergency Department. The woman was admitted and is stable.
 
Puffer fish contains tetrodotoxin, a heat-stable toxin that does not decompose during boiling or cooking. The fish should be avoided to prevent poisoning, the centre said.