Two children and four adults poisoned after eating gelatin at Arequipa market; vendor detained

Six people, including two children, were rushed to the Central Hospital of Majes after eating gelatin at the zonal market in the Arequipa region. Doctors diagnosed them with toxic poisoning after they developed vomiting and breathing difficulties.

A municipal inspection worker said one girl lost consciousness, while an older adult fainted while trying to vomit. The incident led police in El Pedregal to detain 36-year-old Lourdes Rosmery Taya Sánchez on Saturday morning, Sept. 5.

Several market vendors identified Taya Sánchez as the suspected seller of the gelatin, which authorities believe may have been contaminated with pesticide. Prosecutors and National Police personnel later inspected the place where she prepared the products. They found pots containing a strange brown substance and other ingredients, and sealed two buckets of strawberry-flavored gelatin.

Taya Sánchez is being investigated for the alleged production and sale of food unfit for human consumption. Municipal workers urged residents not to buy food from unregistered or questionable sources. They also raised concerns about the growing number of informal vendors, saying congestion made it difficult to transport the poisoned children.

Agents said, "There was no way to walk, with informal vendors facing each other. It is not fair that this girl was harmed. We wanted to take her in a motor taxi, but it could not even turn around. We urged them to leave, but they did not listen." The municipality had not publicly commented on the incident, and officials did not respond to La República's request for comment.

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There was no way to walk, with informal vendors facing each other. It is not fair that this girl was harmed. We wanted to take her in a motor taxi, but it could not even turn around. We urged them to leave, but they did not listen.