An 82-year-old man in South Korea suffocated to death after swallowing the tentacles of an octopus he ate alive. It was actually san-nakji, a local delicacy, but it was ranked first among the most dangerous foods in the world. Local newspapers report numerous cases of death resulting from eating live octopuses, whose writhing tentacles become stuck in suction cups in the throat, leading to suffocation due to obstruction of the airways.
Local media stated that there is no possibility of saving in these cases and said, “If you take the whole head and its long legs into your mouth, roughly chew it and then swallow it, the suction cup will block the airways and cause breathing difficulties.” . “The only safe way to eat live octopus is to cut it into small pieces or chew it thoroughly.”
The latest case occurred Monday morning in Gwangju, a city near the southern tip of South Korea; Here firefighters intervened to save the old man who was choking on a piece of san-nakji.
A variant is also served in coastal areas of South Korea, where the octopus is killed before being served and shared. But it is so fresh that the nerves in the tentacles are still active, making the octopus appear “alive” as it continues to move on the plate. San-nakji is often served with sesame oil, sesame seeds, and sometimes ginger, and has a chewy texture.
Eaters are often advised to tear the tentacles into very small pieces and chew them thoroughly before swallowing.
Source: Today IT

Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.