Israeli Children Hospitalized After Eating Egyptian Falafel Containing Fava Beans

Two Israeli children were hospitalized at Rambam Hospital after returning from Egypt and consuming the local version of falafel, known as "taamiya," which is made from fava beans rather than chickpeas. Both children suffered from acute hemolytic anemia due to a rapid breakdown of red blood cells, linked to their sensitivity to the enzyme deficiency G6PD, a condition present in their families but previously unknown in the children themselves.

Dr. Reizy Gruda-Zusman, a senior pediatric hemato-oncologist at Rambam, treated both cases within two weeks. The first case involved a 12-year-old boy who developed jaundice, dark urine, and a significant drop in hemoglobin shortly after his vacation. Despite the family’s insistence that he had not eaten fava beans, further inquiry revealed that the Egyptian falafel he consumed was entirely made from fava beans, a fact unknown to the family.

A few days later, an 8-year-old boy with known fava bean sensitivity was admitted after eating the same dish in Egypt. His family had tried to avoid fava beans but were unaware that the local falafel contained them. The younger sibling of the second boy also showed low hemoglobin levels after consuming a small amount but did not require hospitalization.

The first child required several days of hospitalization for monitoring, while the second needed a blood transfusion. Dr. Gruda-Zusman emphasized the importance of understanding food ingredients, especially when there are known sensitivities, both abroad and in Israel, to prevent such dangerous health incidents.