Analysis of the tetrodotoxin content of tissues in Yongeichthys criniger

Abstract:

Food poisoning incidents have occurred in China because of eating goby, which is a species of fish living with a common edible mudskipper (Boleophthalmus pectinirostris).In order to investigate the goby species and its toxicity in this study, the goby samples were collected from Xuwen (Zhanjiang, Guangdong province) where the poisoning accident occurred in 2007.Based on the morphological features, the fish was identified as Yongeichthys criniger, which was reported as a tetrodotoxin (TTX)-accumulated fish species in Japan, and Taiwan province of China.The amount of TTX in each tissue of Y.criniger and Takifugu fasciatus was measured using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.The tissue with TTX content in per kilogram tissue in Y.criniger from high to low is liver (69.954 mg), ovary (9.510 mg), skin (8.937 mg), muscle (5.181 mg), and eye (3.321 mg).The amount of TTX in each tissue of Y.criniger is higher than that in same tissue of Takifugu fasciatus.This is the first report about the amount of TTX in Y.criniger from mainland in China, and the investigation is helpful to prevent people eating toxic Y.criniger.