Blue-ring Kills Two, sickens 85 others

[Gonodactylus]

This appeared on the wire-services today.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20040621/hl_afp/vietnam_health



We don't know the species or how the octopus was cooked, but this is the first case of death by ingestion that i have heard of.

Roy

 

[Sloth]

Thats sad.

I wonder if foul play was involved.

 

[gwrulzmylife]

yeah, an octo was eaten!

 

[Pyrrhus]

i wonder where the vietnamese got enough blue ring octopus to feed a village? especially considering they hail from australia. i attribute this story to bad fact checking and journalistic sensationalism.

 

[Gonodactylus]

There is at least one common species of blue-ring ocotpus in Vietnam - Hapalochlaena lunuala. Several described and undescribed species of blue-ring occur throughout the region from Japan to Thailand, Indonesia and Australia. Australia may be known for its southern, cool water species (H. maculosa and H. fasciatus), but it certainly does not have a monopoly on blue-rings. There is no problem with the fact checking here.

As for finding enough to feed a village, here the story is poorly written and unclear. While it would not be unheard of to find several dozen blue-rings on a reef flat, finding enough to feed a village would be. On the other hand, a seafood stew with several species of octopus including Hapalochlaena is entirely possible and a few blue-rings in the pot could easily kill and sicken many people.

Roy

 

[wee-reefer]

Are blue rings and other noxious octopusses a normal part of a villagers diet? What about the blue rings being cooked? Would the cephalotoxin have been sufficiently de-natured and the proteins of the venom to break it down?

 

[gwrulzmylife]

I think they are eaten raw, just twirled on a stick and giving a smack on the table. Saw on food network awhile back and I think that was the area.

YUM

 

[ipb]

Hi all,

TTX is the 'toxin' that blue rings have - its is not a peptide or protein these can be denatured by heating/cooking.

TTX is a small 'organic' molecule that has a degree of heat resistance

But note TTX is produced by a 'tenant' mirco-organism within the salivary gland of the Blue Ring.

Recent reports in Japan have illustrate a new type of FUGU - normally laced with TTX (ovaries, gut etc), here they feed the puffer fish a 'special' meal in captivity - away from the exposure of normal 'flora' - thus are none toxic.

So soon we will all be able to 'enjoy' Fugu without the risk of death!

But I think I'll still pass