Garum dysentery, and ulcers, and to ease chronic diarrhea and treat constipation. Garum was even used as an ingredient in cosmetics and for removal of unwanted hair and freckles. The biological anthropologist Piers Mitchell suggests that garum may have helped spread fish tapeworms across Europe. Garum is believed to be the ancestor of the fermented anchovy sauce "colatura di alici", still produced in Campania, Italy. Worcestershire is a savory sauce based upon fermented anchovies and other ingredients. Ketchup, originally a savory fish sauce that did not contain either sugar or tomatoes, shared its origins, culinary functions and popularity with garum. Garum
Fish sauce rice porridge called "arroz caldo", and as a condiment for fried fish. Patis is also used in place of table salt in meals to enhance the flavor of the food, where it can either be dashed from a dispensing bottle onto the food, or poured into a saucer and mixed with calamansi and used as a dipping sauce. Fish sauce in Thailand is called "nam pla" (). In Isan, it is called "nam pa". Similar to the Laotian "padaek" is "pla ra" (), also used in Thai cuisine. In Thailand, fish sauce is used both in cooking and also served