James Silverton wrote:

> Dan Logcher wrote:
>
>> James Silverton wrote:
>>
>>> I have been in contact with the US FDA and have received the
>>> following information.
>>> -----------------------------------------------------------------
>>> Escolar, puffer fish, and whelk
>>>
>>> There are naturally occurring toxins in some species that do not
>>> involve marine algae. Escolar (i.e. Lepidocybium flavobrunneum,
>>> Ruvettus pretiosus) contains a strong purgative oil, called
>>> gempylotoxin. FDA advises against importation. See Import Bulletin
>>> 16-B55.
>>> ----------------------------------------------------------------
>>> Even if my one experience indicated that white tuna *was* delicious,
>>> I can certainly corroborate the purgative effect!
>>
>>
>> Whelk? Aren't those snails?
>>
>> Anyway, could there be a quality issue? I've been eating "Super
>> White Tuna" for years now, roughly 2 orders a sitting, and no ill
>> effects.
>
>
> Good luck to you Dan but the purgative effect is confirmed by a lot of
> people and it must be your digestion (g). I can certainly see eating the
> stuff if you can since, as I mentioned, it tastes pretty good! Whelks,
> as you say are large thick-shelled sea snails, and even my omnivorous
> relatives never ate them when I was growing up in Britain. Tho' I never
> enjoyed them, my family *did* eat periwinkles which are smaller sea
> snails with thin blackish shells. They used to be pretty popular and
> sold at street stands in London.

Perhaps, but I am not the only one.. Lots of people are ordering it from
this place, and keep ordering it. So it would seem many people do not have
a problem like you did.

--
Dan