78. Investigation by the FDA and county health agency describe three cases of tetrodotoxin poisoning associated with the consumption of a prepackaged, ready-to-eat fugu (puffer fish) product transported from Japan. The order Tetraodontoidea includes ocean sunfishes, porcupine fishes, and fugu, which are the most poisonous of all marine life. These species inhabit the shallow waters of temperate and topical zones and can be exported China, Japan, Mexico, the Philippines, and Taiwan. Personal importation of fugu into the U.S. is prohibited. The liver, gonads, intestines, and skin of these fish contain a neurotoxin that can cause death in persons who ingest it. In Japan, despite careful processing and preparation of the edible fugu flesh and musculature, fugu remains a common cause of fatal food poisoning in Japan, accounting for approximately 50 deaths each year. Despite the high death rate associated with tetrodotoxin poisoning, the three California cases reported survived. For more details refer to: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report: May 17, 1996;vol.45,No.19.