Laxative Effect May Lead to Banning of Walu Fish in Hawaii

Posted on January 29, 2010

The walu is known for its "rich, buttery flavory" and is billed as the "white tuna" by fish companies but a Hawaiin lawmaker thinks the fish should be banned from sale because of its extreme laxative effect.

The lawmaker has drafted a bill that would ban the walu fish, which is also known as the ex-lax fish. KRQE says the walu contains a "high-level of wax esters in its tissue that are beneficial to its deep-sea survival, but can be unkind to humans." The walu is already banned in Japan and Italy.

This video from KHON2 News says the escolar or walu is sometimes served as "white tuna" or "white maguro" to diners unaware of the potential effects.

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