Health Ministry Says Five Children Hospitalized After Eating Suspected Poisoned Baby Food

Israel’s Health Ministry said Friday that its investigation into suspected poisoning involving Prineco baby food, sold in two supermarkets in Jerusalem, has advanced. So far, two incidents have been reported in which five children were hospitalized after eating the puree and may have been exposed to benzodiazepine-family substances. All of the children have since been discharged from hospital.

The ministry said food inspectors have carried out extensive nationwide checks and sampling of hundreds of products of the suspected type. Five products have been found to contain the prescription drugs clonazepam and lorazepam, three of them bought in branches of the Zol veBegadol chain and two more sampled from the chain’s shelves in Jerusalem.

According to the ministry, tests at the importer’s warehouses and at other sales points, outside the two named branches, found no sign of these substances. It also said the five contaminated products appeared to have been opened unlawfully before purchase.

Based on the data examined so far, the ministry said there is no indication at this stage of a problem higher up the supply chain, including production, import, or storage at the importer’s warehouses. The criminal investigation is being handled by police.