• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2009

The toxicity of two species of puffer fish, Takifugu poecilonotus (Heuinjeombok) and T. vermicularis (Gukmaeribok) collected from the coastal regions of Korea was determined using a mouse bioassay. In the T. poecilonotus collected in Jeju and Tongyeong, the proportion of toxic specimens containing ${\ge}10$ mouse units (MU) per gram exceeded 95% for the skin, liver, ovary, and fin, and approximately 30% for the testis and muscles. In each of the organs, the highest toxin levels were 79 MU/g in the muscle, hundreds (158-365) of MU per gram in the fin, intestine, testis, and gallbladder, but thousands (1,147-2,406) of MU per gram in the skin, liver, and ovary. In T. vermicularis collected from Incheon and Gunsan, the proportions of toxic specimens were 100% for the gallbladder, and 56-68% for the skin, fin, liver, and intestine however, no toxic muscle specimens were noted. The highest toxin scores were below 10 mouse units (MU) per gram in the muscle, 20-94 MU/g in the skin and fin, 319 MU/g in the intestine, and thousands (1,548-4,624) of MU per gram in the liver, gonad, and gallbladder. The toxicity in the muscle of T. vermicularis was deemed acceptable for human consumption, whereas the toxicities in the muscle of T. poecilonotus and the skin of both species of puffer fish were significantly high, such that special attention may be required when the fish is intended for human consumption.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.141-144
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• 1995

The pufferfish Takifugu vermicularis radiatus (Gukmeri-bog) was examined for toxicity. Thirty-one specimens, which had obtained from creeks of Inchon and Ansan in Spring and Autumn of 1992 and 1993, Korea, were assayed for anatomical distribution of toxicity by mouse bioassay method. Ovary, testis, liver and muscle showed very strong toxicity, and intestine and skin did moderate toxicity. Their average toxicities were moderately toxic in all. Moreover, the toxicities of liver and intestine were stronger in Spring than Autumn. Judging from the results, T. vermicularis radiatus is considered to be very harmful fish. Consequently, it is necessary to take a proper preventive step against food poisoning by pufferlish ingestion.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.175-178
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• 2004

We here report that the muscle of 'gukmeri-bok' puffer fish (Takifugu vermicularis radiatus) is intoxicated after freezing and thawing processes even though it is not toxic when it is fresh. This study was carried out to investigate the effect of different freezing and thawing conditions as well as the effect of the presence of skin or viscera on the intoxication of muscle of 'gukmeri-bok' puffer during freezing and thawing process. As a result of this investigation, thawing condition, but not freezing conditions or periods played an important role in muscle intoxication. Tetrodotoxin secretory grands exist in the skin of toxic puffer fish, the skin was more responsible for the muscles intoxication than the viscera during the freezing-thawing process. In other words, no toxicity was measured in the muscle of skinned-frozen specimens even when thawed. According to this result, it is recommended that the skin and viscera must be removed before being frozen for edible purpose. Otherwise, when a whole fish should be frozen, alternative half-thawing and removal of skin from frozen specimens is recommended.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.83-94
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• 1999

A Study on the choice of proper region for moving cage culture facilities were carried out in the South Sea of Korea. Optimum temperatures of habitats for cage culture fishes, Sebastes schlegeli, Paralichthys olivaceus, Seriola quinqueradiata, Lateolabrax japonicus, Pagrus major, Takifugu vermicularis, and Mugil cephalus were 18~26$^{\circ}C$, 10~$25^{\circ}C$, 15~29$^{\circ}C$, 15~29$^{\circ}C$, 15~3$0^{\circ}C$, 15~$25^{\circ}C$, and 19~27$^{\circ}C$, respectively. In winter, wintering regions for continuous growth of fishes were proper around Komundo, Sorido, Soimal, Gadukdo and Chejudo for Paralichthys olivaceus and Lateolabrax japonicus, while Seoguipo and Udo for Seriola quinqueradiata, Pagrus major and Takifugu vermicularis. Sanji was not proper for wintering region because variation of water temperature is large by effect of strong northwestern wind. Wintering regions of Sebastes schlegeli and Mugil cephalus were not in the south of Korea. In summer, proper regions for fishes to avoid from damage by red tide were Komundo and around Chejudo. No red tide has occurred in these regions for 6 years. Mokpo and Yoja Bay were not proper for moving region because the former had strong tides and the latter had only one exit out of the bay which made it impossible to move cages in other route when dangerous red tides burst into.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.464-475
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• 2023

In this study, based on an analysis of two DNA barcode markers (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and cytochrome b genes), we performed species identification and monitored labeling compliance for 50 commercial pufferfish products sold in on-line markets in Korea. Using these barcode sequences as a query for species identification and phylogenetic analysis, we screened the GenBank database. A total of seven pufferfish species (Takifugu chinensis, T. pseudommus, T. xanthopterus, T. alboplumbeus, T. porphyreus, T. vermicularis, and Lagocephalus cheesemanii) were identified and we detected 35 products (70%) that were non-compliant with the corresponding label information. Moreover, the labels on 12 commercial products contained only the general common name (i.e., pufferfish), although not the scientific or Korean names for the 21 edible pufferfish species. Furthermore, the proportion of mislabeled highly processed products (n = 9, 81.8%) was higher than that of simply processed products (n = 26, 66.7%). With respect to the country of origin, the percentage of mislabeled Chinese products (n = 8, 80%) was higher than that of Korean products (n = 26, 66.7%). In addition, the market and dialect names of different pufferfish species were labeled only as Jolbok or Milbok, whereas two non-edible pufferfish species (T. vermicularis and T. pseudommus) were used in six commercial pufferfish products described as JolboK and Gumbok on their labels, which could be attributable to the complex classification system used for pufferfish. These monitoring results highlight the necessity to develop genetic methods that can be used to identify the 21 edible pufferfish species, as well as the need for regulatory monitoring of commercial pufferfish products.