Thailand offers cheap and delicious meals. But not everything is harmless. A dish greatly increases the likelihood of developing cancer.
München – Thailand is a dream destination for many, attracting with its pleasant climate, paradisiacal beaches and delicious, inexpensive food. The temptation to try a meal at one of the numerous street kitchens is great. But travelers should definitely avoid a certain Thai fish dish due to the high risk of cancer.
An estimated 20,000 deaths a year: A bite of Thai food can cause cancer
It is Koi Pla, a dish that is particularly popular among the residents of northeast Thailand. It’s easy to prepare, inexpensive and delicious. Koi Pla consists of raw fish in small pieces, spring onions, spices and lime juice. But this dish carries a deadly danger. A single bite can be enough to cause bile duct cancer. Be careful, excessive consumption of smoked fish can also be harmful to your health.
The cause for that Illness is not the raw fish itself, but a parasite that lives in the fish. When the fluke Opisthorchis viverrini enters the human body, it attacks the bile ducts. There it nests in the mucous membrane, grows and lays eggs, which are excreted through the intestines and feces. “These processes irritate the bile duct and lead to immune reactions. In combination and over years, this leads to Krebs“, explained the tropical medicine specialist Christoph Specht rtl.de. However, it can take up to 40 years for the disease to develop.
Food expert warns about Koi Pla: “It only takes one bite”
Koi pla is responsible for an estimated 20,000 deaths per year in Thailand. According to the British Mirror The northeast of the country has the highest rates of bile duct cancer in the world. The dish is often referred to in the media as the “deadliest meal in the world.” Koi Pla is particularly common in the Khon Kaen province, which is rarely visited by tourists, and the impoverished Isaan region. Authorities have long sought to educate the population about the risks of this dish.
Travelers should be warned. “It only takes one bite,” warned Darin Detwiler, a food expert at Northeastern University in Boston DailyMail.com. Koi Pla is not typically found on restaurant menus. It is a local dish. Nevertheless, visitors should take a closer look on their next visit to Thailand or, if in doubt, ask if they eat at a street kitchen. Also in PFAS found in fish are suspected of being carcinogenic to be. (mt)
