MUSCAT: The Centre said some pufferfish contain tetrodotoxin, a potent poison that can cause serious and potentially fatal symptoms. It urged consumers to avoid the fish identified in its warning and to choose known, safe fish from trusted sources.

The warning covers 12 species of pufferfish and porcupinefish that are prohibited from marketing, trading and consumption in Oman. The species identified by their scientific names are Arothron hispidus, Arothron immaculatus, Arothron stellatus, Arothron meleagris, Arothron nigropunctatus, Chelonodontops patoca, Lagocephalus lunaris, Lagocephalus sceleratus, Canthigaster valentini, Diodon liturosus, Diodon hystrix and Diodon holocanthus.

The centre stressed that cooking or freezing does not eliminate the toxins or make the fish safe for consumption. Consumers should therefore not attempt to make the fish safe through normal food preparation or storage methods.

Exposure to the toxins can cause symptoms including numbness, nausea, vomiting, muscle weakness, paralysis and difficulty breathing. In severe cases, poisoning can result in death.
The Centre called on consumers to comply with relevant instructions and regulatory decisions and to source seafood from trusted suppliers.