In terms of the number of victims, the dish koi far surpasses the famous Japanese fugu. Just compare: from improperly prepared fugu pufferfish, 5-10 people die annually. In contrast, the koi pla salad is responsible for about 20,000 deaths each year.
The koi salad is prepared in various versions across different regions of East Asia and is mainly consumed by people of Laotian nationality. The version that is the most insidious and dangerous is called koi pla, and it is prevalent in northeastern Thailand. The ingredients are not only alarming for the liver but also for the imagination: raw fish, live red ants, lime juice, and various herbs.
However, it is not the ants but the fish that is the critical ingredient. Most often, raw fish from the Mekong River basin is used, which is often infected with parasitic flatworms called trematodes. These trematodes provoke the growth of malignant tumors known as cholangiocarcinoma in the human body. In other words, the traditional koi pla salad causes an aggressive and fast-spreading form of cancer. Naturally, it doesn’t always happen, but 20,000 deaths a year are enough, according to healthcare experts.
We quote the words of surgeon Huntikaeo from Khon Kaen University in Thailand:
“The dish places a huge burden on health and healthcare. But no one knows about it because people die quietly, like leaves falling from a tree.”
Huntikaeo spent many years traveling around the country, warning of the danger after his parents, big lovers of koi pla, died of cancer. However, his lectures are in vain, as the dish is too popular, especially in the Isan region of Thailand.
As an alternative, it is suggested to replace the raw freshwater fish with boiled or fried fish. However, the voice of reason goes unheard, as gourmets claim that after thermal processing, the fish quickly spoils the taste of the entire salad.