Koi Pla, a popular traditional dish consumed in Thailand and Laos is said to be responsible for the deaths of around 20,000 people every year.

Considered a salad by the Lao people of Laos and Thailand`s Isaan region, Koi Pla consists of minced raw fish, lemon juice, herbs and spices.

The fish, technically the parasites living in the fish, is the problematic ingredient. The fish is mostly from the freshwater of the Mekong basin infested with parasitic flatworms known as live flukes that cause one of the most aggressive types of cancer known to man, cholangiocarcinoma, or bile duct cancer.

It is said that a single mouthful of Koi Pla is technically enough to cause bile duct cancer, with one of the lowest survival rates without surgery.•