Shin Bet joins probe into suspected tampering of baby food pouches

Israel’s Shin Bet has been brought into the investigation of the baby food pouch incident after preliminary findings and test results were passed to the agency, Channel 12 reported. The move marks a major shift in the case, which is being handled jointly by the Health Ministry and Israel Police.

Investigators are examining suspicions that anesthetic substances found in the baby fruit pouches were inserted deliberately at two specific branches of the Zol U’Bigadol chain in Jerusalem. Earlier on Tuesday, the Health Ministry told parents whose toddlers were hospitalized this week after eating the fruit purees that laboratory tests had indeed found anesthetic material in the products.

In response, the ministry ordered the immediate closure of the two stores where the products were bought, the “Machane” branch at 113 Jaffa Street and another branch at 214 Jaffa Street in Jerusalem. It said no general recall of all Prinoek products had been ordered yet, because there was no indication of a production-line defect or contamination at the manufacturing plant.

On Monday, the ministry first reported that children had been hospitalized after consuming Prinoek baby fruit puree purchased at Zol U’Bigadol branches, prompting concern about a possible link between the product and their condition. Since then, the ministry has opened an epidemiological investigation and carried out urgent inspection and control steps. It urged parents to watch for signs such as drowsiness, exhaustion, or confused speech, and to contact a pediatrician and the ministry hotline if needed. Officials also reminded the public to check that food products are sealed, properly labeled, stored correctly, and have the expected appearance, color, and smell.