Zol UveGadol Seeks to Overturn Closure Orders in Baby Food Sedative Case

The food chain Zol UveGadol has asked a court to cancel the closure orders imposed on two of its Jerusalem branches after laboratory tests found sedative substances in Frinook baby fruit puree jars bought there. Police are continuing the investigation and have recently collected security camera footage from the stores to try to trace the source of the chemicals and how they were introduced into the products.

In its filing, the chain says it only served as a point of sale and that the products were sold to customers in their original sealed packaging. It argues there is no evidence linking its employees or store operations to the insertion of the banned substances, and therefore no reason to keep the branches closed.

The case began after two children were hospitalized following consumption of the baby purees. Tests later detected traces of clonazepam and lorazepam, active ingredients in benzodiazepine sedatives. Following those findings, the Health Ministry ordered the closure of the two Jerusalem branches on Jaffa Street where the tested products had been purchased.

The ministry stressed that there is no blanket recall of Frinook products at this stage. Additional tests on other products and the production chain did not reveal unusual findings, and officials said there was no sign of a manufacturing fault or contamination at the plant. The main suspicion, according to the ministry, is that foreign substances were added after the products left the production line.

Randi, the importer and producer of Frinook products, said its own tests had all come back normal. The company said the current evidence points to an outside party deliberately contaminating the products and added that there is no obstacle to continuing to market the brand. Meanwhile, the Health Ministry has instructed Jerusalem-area hospitals to watch for infants and young children with possible sedative exposure, and urged parents to seek medical advice if children who consumed the products show unusual sleepiness, fatigue, or confusion.