Escolar

[Stone]

I just read about a lawsuit filed by the family of a woman who died after eating Escolar, a fish from the mackeral family.  Seems that oils in this fish are known to cause, um, intestinal issues (I couldn't tell whether castor oil comes from this fish, or whether it's similar).  Some woman ate Escolar at "Shame on the Moon" in Rancho Mirage (supposedly a classy joint), and died three days later from "food borne illness".

Her lawyer claims that Escolar is defective product, and the restaurant should have provided an adequate warning.  Seems that a few years back the FDA issued an advisory about the fish.

I'll stick to Chilean Sea Bass and Swordfish.  Kill them before they kill us, that's what I say.

Go figure.

[Sandra Levine]

I believe this fish has been on the manu at Balthazar.

[msp]

Please don't stick to chilean sea bass! You're right, we will kill them before they kill us..but in the case of chilean sea bass, that time is almost here. Over 60% of the chilean sea bass sold in this country is pirated or poached, and there isn't much left.

And FYI: it is no relation to sea bass...it is actually patagonia toothfish, but the name wasn't marketable and was changed.

Try some of the farmed sea bass on the market: it's great and not endangered.

Chilean Sea bass won't be around much longer, but it has a tiny chance of surviving if we stop eating it...

[Peter B Wolf]

.....and Swordfish.  Kill them before they kill us, that's what I say.

Go figure.

Anyone remember the Swordfish scare in the sixties?

supposed to have been full of Mercury.

Eat enough of it, paint a scale with numbers on your body and pretent to be a Thermometer

[Blue Heron]

I remember reading about a year ago or so that escolar can cause digestive upset in some people, or somthing to that effect.  Strangely, a very well respected restaurant here in Seattle has it on their menu.  I always thought that was kind of strange.

[Beachfan]

I'd appreciate a link to something more definitive if anyone knows of one. I've had escolar several times and love it.

[Blue Heron]

Here is a link I found through google.. Click here  Scroll down a little to escolar.

this is what it says: Gempylotoxin, a strong purgative oil (can cause severe diarrhea) Escolar FDA recommendation: Escolar should not be marketed in interstate commerce

[Beachfan]

Thanks.   Does this mean it's ok if it isn't interstate? (probably not )  Is flown in from a foreign country interstate?

[Beachfan]

Is it a violation of the Mann Act if you transport an escolar across state lines for immoral porpoises?

[menton1]

Glad to see this topic; on the New Jersey forum we have been discussing a restaurant, Liberté, that is now serving the dish. With all the controversy, it seems that this fish should be banned again. Eating foods should not be like rolling the dice-- if you want blowfish you can go to Hong Kong or Japan. Here is a link to an astounding article where a woman purportedly died from eating escolar!!

http://www.nbc4.tv/newslinks/1773988/detail.html

[Jason Perlow]

Escolar SOUNDS dangerous just by the name. It sounds like a druglord fish.

[Bux]

Here is a link to an astounding article where a woman purportedly died from eating escolar!!

http://www.nbc4.tv/newslinks/1773988/detail.html

That link is interesting and it makes it appear that the escobar is incidental to the woman's death if, in fact, she died of an infection as stated on her death certificate. Can severe diarrhea bring on an infections or symtoms of an infection that would mask dehydration or other effect of diarrhea? Actually Dr. William Mellon of the Los Angeles County/USC Medical Center, said the oils in escobar "will cause some diarrhea," not severe diarrhea. I'm not saying that couldn't finish off a 74 year old woman, just that her husband seems to be the only one with that claim. I'm sure he'll find a lawyer to join him.

[Beachfan]

I had a some Escolar sashmi last Saturday. No problems to report.

By the way, how many of the Escolar-phobes eat oysters?

Edited January 19, 2003 by Beachfan (log)

[ranitidine]

 Is flown in from a foreign country interstate?

Yes.

[rooftop1000]

So....is ordering Escolar at a restaurant with a Conditional health report card really really rolling the dice?

now I cant say for sure if it was all the sugarless gum, the apple cider or the fish....No it was the fish better days to come

tracey

[Luckylies]

Escolar SOUNDS dangerous just by the name. It sounds like a druglord fish.

←

So true.

Also, escolar is also called "white tuna" on menus so if youre scurred, avoid eating white tuna.

[Kent Wang]

Escolar has been nicknamed the ex-lax fish. It is pretty good cooked but sublime raw. It is one of my favorite sashimi.

[Abra]

Escolar is really delicious, and you shouldn't hesitate to eat it. But here's the rule: no more than a 5 oz serving!

Personally, I like to serve 3-4 ounces of it along with some other fish, so that you get the deliciousness without the gastrointestinal effects, which come from eating too much of the escolar's indigestible oils.

[FistFullaRoux]

I just read about a lawsuit filed by the family of a woman who died after eating Escolar, a fish from the mackeral family.  Seems that oils in this fish are known to cause, um, intestinal issues (I couldn't tell whether castor oil comes from this fish, or whether it's similar).  Some woman ate Escolar at "Shame on the Moon" in Rancho Mirage (supposedly a classy joint), and died three days later from "food borne illness".

←

Castor oil comes from castor beans. Byproducts of castor oil manufacture are used to make ricin, a chemical poison tested and used for chemical warfare.

Edited to fix a factual mistake.

Edited October 21, 2006 by FistFullaRoux (log)