Health Ministry labs find that jars bought at the Zol V'Begdol chain contained clonazepam and lorazepam. Police are involved in the investigation, but no blanket recall ordered as no contamination was found at the factory
03:03 AM • June 18 2026 IDT
Two stores operated by the Zol V'Begadol supermarket chain were ordered to suspend operations by the Health Ministry on Wednesday, after laboratory tests conducted on baby food purchased there found traces of the pharmaceutical substances clonazepam and lorazepam.
The tests were conducted after two children were hospitalized last month from consuming Prinok fruit puree, the ministry said.
The two stores that were ordered shut are located in Jerusalem, at 113 and 214 Jaffa Road. The police are involved in the investigation. The Shin Bet security service said it was not looking into the case.
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The Health Ministry said it had not ordered a nationwide recall of all Prinok products, noting it found no defects in the production line or at the factory. Tests on imported products found no contamination.
Nevertheless, the ministry asked parents whose children ate the puree to be alert for changes in their children's behavior and contact a doctor in case of drowsiness or unclear speech. The ministry advised customers to make sure that store-bought puree was properly packaged and in good condition and warned not to consume products either purchased at the two stores or sold in packaging that looked different from the official brand's. The ministry also warned against consuming products that do not have the color, appearance and smell characteristic of the product, or where the vacuum seal appears to have been broken.
Randi, the company that distributes Prinok products, said in response that there were no indications of problems during production or contamination that occurred in the factory. All tests conducted on the products from the importer were found to be normal, it said.
"The Health Ministry has made clear that the products are safe for consumer use and there is no impediment to our continuing to sell them," it said. "The facts indicate that an external party maliciously introduced foreign substances into the product. Upon learning of the incident, the company acted transparently and in close coordination with the Health Ministry and all relevant professional bodies."
Israel Police said that some of the test findings conducted by the Health Ministry were passed on to investigators to trace the source of the depressants and how they ended up in the products.
Clonazepam and lorazepam are known as benzodiazepines, which can be used to treat anxiety, insomnia and seizures. For adults, side effects can include drowsiness, memory loss and balance issues.
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