According to reports, Ancient Romans used to consume the brains of a bream known as the dreamfish for a hallucinogenic effect. Modern studies have confirmed that the Sarpa salpa bream is indeed toxic and can induce hallucinations.
Hallucinogenic fish can be found in the Mediterranean Sea, near the Hawaiian and Polynesian islands in the Pacific Ocean, as well as in the Indian and Atlantic oceans. While some cultures like Tunisia, France, and Israel include this fish in their diet, Spain and Italy consider it inedible.
There are over 15 species of bream fish worldwide that can cause intoxication if the brains are consumed or if the guts are not properly cleaned out. The flesh of the fish is safe to eat and is a traditional dish in Mediterranean regions when cooked with pepper and rosemary. However, consuming the head can lead to hallucinations and nightmares.
Scholarly Study Confirms Negative Effects
Research by Luc de Haro and Philip Pommier from France highlighted the negative experiences caused by the consumption of the hallucinogenic fish. The cases were documented in a paper titled “Hallucinatory Fish Poisoning (Ichthyoallyeinotoxism)” published in the Clinical Toxicology journal in 2006.
The paper describes the effects experienced by two individuals who consumed the Salema porgy fish, known for its hallucinogenic properties.
“A 40-year-old man had digestive issues and terrifying hallucinations after consuming Sarpa salpa. Another 90-year-old man experienced auditory hallucinations and nightmares after consuming the same fish.”
The 40-year-old man had a disturbing episode after eating the fish in 1994 in Cannes and required medical attention. The 90-year-old man, also from the French Riviera, experienced similar effects after consuming the fish purchased in St. Tropez.
Salema porgies as food; some regions consider the bream inedible. (Public Domain)
The origin of the hallucinogenic effects is still unclear. Some believe it could be due to toxins from phytoplankton ingested by the fish. However, the exact toxins responsible for the negative experiences remain unidentified.
Not everyone who consumes the fish has a negative experience. A National Geographic photographer reported a positive encounter with hallucinations after eating the fish, which might explain why it was willingly consumed by Romans and Polynesians in the past.
Top image: Salema porgy fish off of the South African coast. Source: Public Domain
By Mark Miller
