7 hospitalized after eating blowfish testicles

Last night in Tsuruoka, Japan, seven diners ate the wrong part of the blowfish: its balls.

You probably know that fugu (blowfish), like many seafoods, is poisonous if not prepared correctly. According to Japan for the Uninvited, one blowfish has enough tetradotoxin (1200 times deadlier than cyanide) to kill 30 people.

In Japan, chefs must obtain a special license to serve fugu, and the offending restaurant’s chef did not have one. Police official Yoshihito Iwase:

“It’s scary. If you go to a decent-looking restaurant that serves fugu, you would assume a cook has a proper fugu license.”

It is scary. All seven are still in the hospital, and three are in very serious conditions from eating the illicit testicles.

If you happen to be reading this right after the blowfish lunch you just had, be on the lookout for tingling toes and your lips turning blue. I’m serious.

[via Guardian]