Abstract
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.
