Jerusalem, 25 June, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Two downtown Jerusalem branches of the Zol U’Vagadol” (cheap and big) supermarket chains have had “extreme sanctions” imposed on them by Israel’s Ministry of health after two incidents in which five children were hospitalized (ages 3 and 10 months, and ages 3 and 9 months) after consuming “Prinok” brand baby food fruit puree purchased at these branches. All the children were discharged from the hospital.
The Ministry reported that tests revealed an abnormal quantity of substances from the benzodiazepine drug family in the tainted products.
Starting today, Thursday, they will be prohibited from selling food or cosmetics.
As a condition for being allowed to sell food and cosmetics, the business must present and implement a “comprehensive self-quality control program” approved by the Ministry of Health.
The Ministry also tested hundreds of products nationwide and found products containing benzodiazepines: three products provided by the families and two additional products sampled from the chain’s shelves in Jerusalem. In all five, there was an indication that they were opened unlawfully prior to purchase.