Israel probes baby puree contamination after children collapse

A mother identified as Shifi told ynet that her two children, a 10 month old daughter and a three year old son, fell seriously ill moments after eating Frinok fruit puree bought last Thursday from a Zol VeGadol branch in Jerusalem. She said the baby became weak and pale, while her son began walking, falling to the floor, and gradually losing consciousness. A neighbor’s two year old daughter, who tasted only one spoonful, also later collapsed and was taken to hospital.

Shifi said the children were rushed to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem, where medics were already concerned that something unusual had happened. Her son was described as completely apathetic and did not react even when pricked for tests, despite normally fearing medical procedures. The family was first told the problem was probably unrelated to food, but suspicion later shifted to poisoning. Fire and rescue teams and police searched the home and garden, but found nothing to explain the incident. The children were hospitalized for four days, and she said it took days before her son could walk and speak normally again.

Laboratory tests by the Health Ministry found clonazepam and lorazepam in the jars, sedatives from the benzodiazepine family sold as Klonex and Lorivan and normally used for adults. After the findings, the ministry ordered the immediate closure of two Zol VeGadol branches on Jaffa Street 113 and Jaffa Street 214 in Jerusalem, where the tested products had been sold.

The investigation was transferred to the Zion District police anti crime unit, which is examining how the drugs reached the puree, where the substances came from, and whether they were intentionally added. The Health Ministry said there is no current instruction to remove all Frinok products from shelves. Products tested directly from the importer were found to be safe, and there is no evidence the contamination came from the manufacturing process. The public was told not to consume products bought at the two closed branches, items sold outside their original packaging, or jars that did not make a vacuum sound when opened. Randy, the importer, said the available data points to deliberate tampering by an outside party after production ended.