A state coroner has ruled that the death of a Paphos woman was due to her chocking on a piece of loukoumi.
Irini Costa, 64, died on Thursday night after eating the Cypriot sweet along with her husband at home. She was rushed to Paphos General Hospital where doctors couldn’t resuscitate her. According to state coroner Eleni Antoniou, the unfortunate Irini had died after choking on a piece of loukoumi that became lodged in her throat.
Loukoumi is based on a gel of starch and sugar. Premium varieties consist largely of chopped dates, pistachios, and hazelnuts or walnuts bound by the gel; traditional varieties are mostly gel, generally flavored with rosewater,orange, or lemon. The confection is often packaged and eaten in small cubes dusted with icing sugar.
