7 Foods You Won't Believe Are Illegal In The US (And Why)
3. Japanese Puffer Fish
It's not just the US who have a ban on this one, as just like the fish itself, although it appears peaceful and cute, it's deadlier than you might think. This sea creature is used to create a sushi ingredient called Fugu, which is considered quite a delicacy but comes with the risk of taking your life if prepared poorly.
The Japanese pufferfish produces a hazardous poison known as tetrodotoxin, which causes those who consume it to become paralyzed and even leads to death. To prepare Fugu, you must go through a pain-staking process of deconstructing the fish, and one little mistake can lead to the toxin still being present in the final meal - final being the optimum word there.
A few sellers are permitted to produce it, so long as they have a licence, but it seems only daredevils and thrill-seekers are the ones dining with them. We've all had terrible meals before but never been in a situation where the chef having an off day can lead to you being poisoned to death.