I’d like to think that I’m pretty well-versed when it comes to sushi, so I was intrigued when I found a new type of nigiri on a Japanese fusion restaurant’s menu.
It’s called ono – Premium Hawaiian Escolar. I looked it up in wikipedia, and this is what I found:
“Like its relative the oilfish (Ruvettus pretiosus), it cannot metabolize the wax esters (Gempylotoxin) naturally found in its diet, which accumulates to give an oil content in the muscle meat of 18–21%. These wax esters may rapidly cause gastrointestinal symptoms following consumption….
“The gastrointestinal symptoms, called ‘keriorrhoea‘, caused by these wax esters may include oily orange diarrhea, discharge, or leakage from the rectum that may smell of mineral oil. The discharge can stain clothing and occur without warning 30 minutes to 36 hours after consuming the fish. The oil may pool in the rectum and cause frequent urges for bowel movements due to its lubricant qualities and may be accidentally discharged by the passing of gas. Symptoms may occur over a period of one or more days.”
“For these reasons, escolar has been banned from consumption in Japan since 1977, as the Japanese government considers it toxic.”
Can you really call it sushi if the Japanese don’t eat it? =)
