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It has been suggested that this article be merged with oilfish. (Discuss) Proposed since February 2007.

The escolar, Lepidocybium flavobrunneum, is a snake mackerel, the only species in the genus Lepidocybium. It is found in deep (200–885 m) tropical and temperate waters around the world.

The escolar is dark brown in colour, growing darker with age until it is quite black. It is a fast-swimming fish with a prominent lateral keel and multiple finlets. It grows up to 2 m in length.

Like its relative the oilfish, Ruvettus pretiosus, the escolar is consumed in several European and Asian countries, as well as in the USA. Neither fish metabolises the wax esters (Gempylotoxin) naturally found in their diet, which causes an oil content in the muscle meat of the fish amounting to 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. Portions should be no greater than 6 ounces.

For these reasons, escolar has been banned from consumption in Japan since 1977, as the Japanese govenrment considers it toxic. 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.

Escolar is sometimes consumed raw as sushi or sashimi. It is also sold misleadingly as "white tuna", "butterfish", "oilfish" and "Hawaiian butter fish"; in Hawaii and Fiji, it is known as walu.

References

• Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Lepidocybium flavobrunneum". FishBase. March 2006 version.

• Marian Burros, New York Times, March 10, 1999, "A Fish Puts Chefs in a Quandary"

• KNBC4 TV LA, November 7, 2002, "Mystery On The Menu: Could A Popular Dish Make You Sick? (Previously Banned Escolar Makes Restaurant Return)"

• December 2004, Chris Anderson, Seafood Business Magazine, December 2004 "Product Spotlight: Escolar (In the right hands, this oily whitefish has overcome its undeserved stigma)"

• Ehealthforum.com discussion of symptoms of escolar consumption

• Washington State Department of Health, epiTrends, Scombroid and Gastroenteritis Associated with Consumption of Escolar (2004)

• Queensland, Australia Health, Food Industry Fact Sheet, "Escolar and rudderfish not suitable for catering (2004)"

• Australia Department of Public Health and Ageing, Communicable Diseases Intelligence, vol. 9, no. 3, "An outbreak of gastrointestinal illness associated with the consumption of escolar fish" (September 2002)

• P. Berman, et al, 59(22) S. African Med J. 791, "Keriorrhoea--the passage of oil per rectum--after ingestion of marine wax esters" (1981)

• University of California National Seafood HACCP Alliance for Training and Education, Compendium of Fish and Fishery Product Processes, Hazards, and Controls, Chapter 26, "Natural Toxins" (2005)

• Advisory Letter, United Kingdom Food Standards Agency, "Potential Health Issues Associated with the Consumption of Escolar" (2003)

• Robin Rainsfeld and Rob Patronite, New York Magazine, "The 'It' Fish" (May 15, 2005)

• Articles to be merged from February 2007
• Gempylidae