Top 12 Most Extraordinary Foods Around the World

Pufferfish (Fugu) - A delicious yet highly dangerous Japanese delicacy, as it contains tetrodotoxin, a potent neurotoxin that can be lethal. As a result, the sale of this fish is strictly regulated in Japan, banned in several European countries, and even prohibited in the U.S.

Only certified chefs with years of training are allowed to safely prepare this dish. These chefs undergo rigorous certification to handle Fugu. Since 1984, the liver, the part of the fish that contains the most toxins and is also considered the tastiest, has been banned from preparation.

Durian is a spiky, thorn-covered fruit resembling jackfruit on the outside, with soft, juicy, and nutrient-rich flesh inside. It's truly a delicacy. Whether you love it or hate it, there's no denying that this fruit has a distinctly overpowering smell.

Some who can't stomach durian claim that its odor is so foul it can induce vomiting. In fact, the smell has been described as three times worse than a mix of rotten eggs, stinky shoes, feces, and vomit combined.

Bird's Nest has been a prized and expensive delicacy in China for thousands of years. Among its various forms, bird's nest soup is the most beloved specialty. These small nests are made by the swiftlets in Southeast Asia using their saliva.

Harvesting bird's nests is an extremely dangerous task, as they are found in hard-to-reach coastal caves. As a result, each bowl of soup can cost between 3 to 100 USD, while 1kg of bird's nest can fetch up to 10,000 USD.

This is the hamburger purchased by David Whipple from Utah in 1999. Surprisingly, it still looks as fresh as the day it was bought.

David kept the burger to show his friends how much preservatives are used in fast food to maintain its freshness and appearance over time.

The White Truffle is a rare type of mushroom that grows exclusively in a few small areas of Piedmont, Italy. It also has a very short growing season, which is shrinking further due to climate change.

White Truffles cannot be cultivated in greenhouses or through genetic cloning. Only pigs or dogs trained to sniff them out can find these elusive mushrooms. The rarity of this ingredient has driven its price to thousands of USD.

Smalahove is a traditional Norwegian dish typically served at Christmas. However, it is considered the most terrifying food in the world by The Telegraph. This dish consists of a sheep's head that is shaved, de-eyed, and then boiled for three hours.

The ears and eyes are the first parts to be eaten while still hot, followed by other parts of the sheep's head. The tongue and eyeball muscles are considered the tastiest parts of this dish.

This is a type of sheep's milk cheese that undergoes fermentation. During fermentation, maggots appear and crawl all over the cheese. As a result, when eating this dish, you can actually feel the wriggling maggots in your mouth, which can be quite unsettling.

It could be said that this is one of the most unusual foods in the world, providing a chilling eating experience. On average, a piece of this cheese contains thousands of maggots wriggling inside. Casu Marzu has earned a spot among the world’s most unique dishes. It’s no surprise, really, is it?

Another unique dish featuring rodents appears on the list of the world’s most extraordinary foods. This time, it comes from Peru, a region in South America. Locals here consider guinea pig to be a rich source of protein for the entire family.

They usually roast the entire animal for a meal. Perhaps the tastiest part is the guinea pig's skin, which becomes crispy, while its meat has a flavor similar to rabbit—delicious and savory.

Sushi is a quintessential Japanese dish, renowned worldwide not only for its delicious flavors but also for its visually striking presentation. The way this dish is served is truly an art form. If you've experienced Nyotaimori – sushi served on a naked woman's body – you may find it both intriguing and somewhat uncomfortable.

According to The Telegraph, this is the most vulgar dish in the world, despite its visually appealing and sophisticated presentation. To enjoy such a sushi feast in Japan, be prepared to pay a significant price.

The Carolina Reaper is a hybrid pepper variety belonging to the ornamental pepper group (scientifically known as Capsicum chinense). It was officially recognized by the Guinness World Records in 2012 as the hottest pepper in the world, with an average Scoville heat rating of 1,569,300 SHU, and can peak at an astounding 2,200,000 SHU.

This pepper was initially named 'HP22B' and was created by Ed Currie, the founder of the PuckerButt Pepper Company in Rock Hill, South Carolina. The amount of Capsaicin (the compound that makes peppers hot) in this variety is nearly comparable to American-style pepper spray. It earned its Guinness World Record status in 2013. Prior to that, the title of the world's hottest pepper belonged to the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion.

Saffron is a vibrant and aromatic spice derived from the stigma of the saffron flower. Each saffron plant typically produces only four flowers, and each flower contains just three stigmas, meaning each plant yields only about 12 stigmas. To produce a single pound of saffron (453g), it takes around 75,000 individual stigmas.

This gives you an idea of the immense effort involved in creating this spice. As a result, the finest saffron can be sold for up to 15 USD per gram (around 300,000 VND per gram).

Louis XIII Pizza is an 8-inch (about 20 cm) pizza created by chef Renato from Italy. It takes three chefs three days to prepare a single Louis XIII pizza.

This luxurious pizza is made with a variety of imported ingredients, including caviar, lobster, and hand-harvested salt from the Murray River. Due to the premium ingredients, this pizza is priced at 12,000 USD per pie (excluding tips).