Cup Noodles Releases Poisonous Puffer-Flavored Instant Ramen

(Source)

Nissin Group has incorporated the puffer, a fish known to be highly poisonous but considered a delicacy in Japanese cuisine, in its new ramen product in the Nissin Raoh line. While the traditional dish known as “fugu” (puffer) can cost anywhere from 10,000 to 30,000 yen ($63 to $188) at a Japanese restaurant, Nissin’s version, released on Monday, costs just 298 yen ($2).

• What’s in the box: Nissin’s new instant ramen, called “Nissin Raoh Fugu Dashi Salt,” comes with a packet of oil that adds a pufferfish flavor. Other ingredients include dehydrated spring onion, Japanese-style egg, and chicken meatballs, all ready to be mixed into a soup base flavored with yuzu, a citrus fruit commonly used in Japanese cuisine.

• Puffer Poison: Puffer fish are known to contain the deadly poison tetrodotoxin, which poses a serious health risk to humans, but not to animals such as snakes and toads. Eating poorly prepared puffer fish can cause health problems such as dizziness, seizures, and in worst cases, death. Japanese chefs must undergo at least two years of training before they can take exams to become certified in fugu cooking.

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