Three died from claims Christmas cake poisoning

Three died from claims Christmas cake poisoning

A police chief has reported to local media that arsenic was detected in the blood of one of three women who died following the consumption of a Christmas cake in what is being investigated as a suspected poisoning case in Brazil.

A blood test has revealed the presence of a highly toxic substance in both a 10-year-old boy and the woman who baked the cake, with both individuals currently hospitalized.

On Monday afternoon, five members of a family became ill after consuming cake at a gathering in Torres, located in the southern region of Rio Grande do Sul.

Authorities have dispatched the cake for analysis, revealing that multiple expired food products were discovered while searching the woman’s residence. Authorities have stated that it remains uncertain if the alleged poisoning was deliberate.

Local media reports indicate that test results from the cake are anticipated to be released by next week.

On Friday, authorities made a formal request to exhume the body of a man, identified as the deceased husband of the woman who baked the cake. In September, he passed away due to food poisoning; however, authorities initially classified his death as natural.

At this moment, she is not regarded as a suspect in either case, and investigations continue to unfold.

At the Christmas celebration on Monday afternoon, six out of seven attendees indulged in the cake that one of the participants had prepared.

Authorities in Brazil have reported that she is the sole individual suspected of consuming two slices of her homemade cake, with test results indicating the highest concentrations of arsenic found in her system.

In a statement to local media, police chief Marcos Vinicius Veloso reported that several family members expressed concerns regarding the cake’s “peppery” flavour.

On Tuesday, around 01:00 local time (04:00 GMT), five members of the family sought medical assistance at the Nossa Senhora dos Navegantes Hospital after experiencing symptoms including vomiting and diarrhoea.

The hospital reported that two sisters succumbed to cardiac arrest hours later. Local media has identified the individuals as Maida Berenice Flores da Silva, aged 58, and Tatiana Denize Silva dos Santos, aged 43.

According to hospital officials, the third victim, who tested positive for traces of arsenic in a blood analysis, succumbed later on Tuesday evening due to “shock after food poisoning.”

Locally, she has been identified as 65-year-old Neuza Denize Silva dos Anjos.

Arsenic is a naturally occurring metallic element.

The inorganic form of this substance is recognized as highly toxic and has been classified as a category one carcinogen by the European Union, indicating its established link to cancer in humans.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that individuals face heightened exposure to inorganic arsenic primarily through consuming contaminated drinking water and its use in food preparation. Additionally, exposure occurs through crop irrigation, various industrial processes, and tobacco smoking.

Arsenic, a naturally occurring element in soil, can enter food products. However, the concentrations typically present are generally too low to raise any significant health concerns.

The substance finds application, though in restricted instances, within the realms of pesticides and pharmaceuticals.

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