The Israeli Mossad and Shin Bet security services are investigating the deaths of three babies who were given a kosher baby milk substitute.
Twenty Israeli babies have been admitted to hospital suffering from brain damage after being fed the soya-based milk substitute which has now been takenoff the shelves.
Worried Israeli parents were gathering at hospitals yesterday. The formula is popular with religious Jewish families, because it is prepared according to kosher practices under strict supervision.
There are international concerns because some Jewish parents in the United States and Europe are sent packets of the formula by relatives in Israel, and the Israeli Government has ordered its embassies to spread the alert.
After urgent testing ordered by the Israeli Government, it has emerged that the milk substitute did not contain Vitamin B1, which is vital to the development of babies' central nervous system - even though the list of ingredients on the packaging claimed it did.
The formula is retailed by Remedia, an Israeli company 51 per cent owned by the food giant Heinz.
If Remedia is found to have knowingly, or negligently deceived parents it could prove highly damaging. Two class action lawsuits were filed against Remedia by Israelis yesterday, claiming US$222 million ($364 million) in damages.
The milk substitute is made for Remedia by Humana Milchunion, a German company. According to Israeli press reports, Remedia hinted it believed the product might have been sabotaged.
The Israeli Government had ordered the Mossad intelligence agency and the Shin Bet security service to join the investigation, the Health Ministry said yesterday.
After an unusually high number of babies were admitted to hospital suffering brain damage symptoms in recent days, doctors began investigating what they had in common. The only factor that united all the cases was that they had all been fed Remedia milk substitute. After that emerged, the Israeli Government ordered the formula removed from stores immediately, and ordered urgent testing.
Israeli hospitals have been ordered to give free shots of Vitamin B1 to any babies who have been fed the formula, to prevent any further brain damage.
The authorities had difficulties warning some parents because the decision to take it off the shelves was taken on Friday evening local time when religious Jews avoid the media.
