Israel’s Health Ministry said on Friday that five Frionic baby fruit puree products were found to contain the sedatives clonazepam and lorazepam, but no broad recall has been ordered. The ministry said all five jars showed signs they had been improperly opened before purchase, and that there is so far no evidence of a manufacturing, import, or storage failure anywhere along the supply chain.
The investigation began after five children were hospitalized with unusual symptoms after eating the puree. Since then, food service inspectors carried out nationwide checks and sampling, testing hundreds of products, about 50 in toxicology labs, 110 in vacuum tests, and more than 500 at points of sale for packaging integrity.
Three of the contaminated products came from families whose children were hospitalized, and they were bought at Zol u’Bagedol branches on Jaffa Street in Jerusalem. Two additional contaminated jars were taken directly from the shelves of those same branches. Based on the findings, the Jerusalem district physician signed administrative closure orders for the Jaffa 113 and Jaffa 214 branches. Other samples, including those taken from the importer’s warehouse and from other stores, tested clean.
The ministry said hospitals were instructed to stay alert for possible exposure to benzodiazepines in infants and young children. Police said the case is being handled by the Zion district’s serious crime unit, and reports said the Shin Bet is also involved. All five hospitalized children have been discharged, and other similar cases were investigated and ruled out. Prof. Sa’ar Hashavia of Hadassah Ein Kerem said four children arrived last Thursday, three with drowsiness, apathy, and balance problems, and the suspicion of benzodiazepine poisoning was quickly confirmed.
