FISH WARNING (do not read while eating)

My first guest blog and it is something a little gross but I think you need to know!!
I celebrated my 10th wedding anniversary on Friday. YEAH US!! My husband made researvations at a restaurant we both love and we enjoyed a super yummy dinner. We both ordered one of the specials. He had the lamb chops and I had the hawaiin escolar dish.
We both agreed that my dish was the best. He helped me a little but I devoured the large portion of buttery white fish with the coconut rice and mango salsa.....so yummy. We enjoyed a fun evening out and I was tucked in a happily 10 year married lady!!

Saturday is when it all turned around. I got up and went for a walk first thing to get my work out checked off for the day. I started feeling pretty poor and thought I was getting pretty dang old as I had only had 3 drinks all night and was suffering a hangover (so I thought). I called C and had her bring me good hangover food on her way out to work on our mosaic projects. She showed up with what I asked for plus some...so sweet. Food seemed to help so we got to work. She does not know the details of all that began to happen while her and her mom were there. Way to embarresed at the moment to share. I honeslty thought at 33 my body was giving out and I would never be able to drink again!! My insides were doing gymnastics and I could not be far from a bathroom. (details below found on Wikepedia will leave nothing out as I experienced all of it...yes ALL of it) After a long day of suffering my brain finally began to kick back in as I remembered that the fish I had for dinner I had also had it as sushi before so decided to google it. AAAAAaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAA (that would be Angel's singing and the lights coming on)

Here is what I found on Wikepedia for the fish Escolar:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escolar

[edit] Consumption
Escolar is consumed in several European and Asian countries, as well as in the USA, sometimes raw as sushi or sashimi. It may be sold as "white tuna" - a term also used for the albacore - or as "super white tuna" to distinguish it from the albacore.[1] Escolar is also sold misleadingly as "butterfish", "oilfish" and "Hawaiian butter fish"; in Hawaii and Fiji, it is known as walu. Like oilfish, a related species with similar consumption consequences, escolar is also sometimes deceptively sold under the name of an entirely different species of fish, most commonly "codfish" or "orange roughy"or "sea bass".

[edit] Effects of consumption
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; however, these effects are usually short lived.
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. Other symptoms may include stomach cramps, loose bowel movements, diarrhea, headaches, nausea, and vomiting.
To minimize the risk of symptoms, strict control of portion size is recommended as well as preparation methods that remove some of the oil (e.g. grilling). Portions should be no greater than 6 ounces.

[edit] Legislation
For these reasons, escolar has been banned from consumption in Japan since 1977, as the Japanese government considers it toxic.[2][3] It has also been banned in Italy.[3] In 1999, the Swedish and Danish National Food Administrations informed fish trade associations and fish importing companies about the problems escolar and related fish could cause if not prepared properly and issued recommendations.
In early 2007 after a public outcry and receiving consumer complaints about mislabeled fish and conducting an investigation, the Hong Kong government's Centre for Food Safety recommended that escolar not be used for catering purposes, advised clear labeling and identification of fish species before sale, purchase of fish from reliable sources, and recommended that consumers become aware of the possible health effects of consumption of escolar, oilfish, and related species. The Hong Kong government has established a working group comprised of members of the academia, trade and consumer group to prepare guidelines for assisting the trade and consumers in identifying relevant species of fish.
In the United States, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, after receiving complaints about diarrhea associated with escolar consumption, issued a bulletin recommending against import of the fish in the early 1990s. However, the FDA backed away from this recommendation and withdrew the bulletin several years later after deciding the fish was nontoxic and nonlethal. Currently, the FDA informally recommends that "Escolar should not be marketed in interstate commerce."[4]
In mid-2007, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, after investigating cases of diarrhea caused by mislabeled fish, decided not to ban escolar or oilfish but instead issued a fact sheet noting the potential adverse effects of consumption and recommending that consumers speak with their retailer, verify fish species and consume the fish in small portion size using preparation methods that reduce oil content.

Outlawed in Japan!!!! Do you know what kinds of things they eat in Japan?
I am in complete shock that they would serve this fish in such a large portion or AT ALL!!

Let me say I am thrilled to know my body is not giving out on me at 33. I have emailed the restaurant this infomration and am waiting a response.

So, let this be a warning and lesson to all of my fish loving friends. No Hawaiin butter fish or Escolar!!!