• 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.