PodcastTurkish consumers rave for stones found in fish heads
A type of stone found inside fish heads, called an otolith, is thought to help with people's kidney pains, which has prompted their demand to increase to the point where they cost more than the fish.
A sort of stone found inside some of the fish, known as otoliths or "earstones," is thought to be helpful for kidney pains, which increased their demand to the point where they cost more than the fish.
Technically ear sand of the fish, these small stones are being sold separately from the fish, priced at four to 10 liras each.
"A fish that gets sold for 70 liras per kilo can have two stones," vendor İlker Keklik said. "The price of the stone varies from 600 to a thousand liras."
The stones are also thought to prevent kidney disease, which prompts customers to get them from the fish even if they have the vendors clean it out, Keklik added.