Israelis Scared Off Tuna Fish After Food Poisoning Incident

A food poisoning incident in Tel Aviv has resulted in a surfeit of tuna fish in supermarkets, restaurants and coffee shops – because patrons of restaurants and coffee shops are afraid to order the dish that sent a customer of an Aroma coffee shop to the hospital. The man was in good condition Friday morning, and hospital officials expected that he would be released during the course of the day.

The incident occurred on Tuesday, when a man became ill and was tested positive for food poisoning, which medical personnel said was attributed to a tuna fish sandwich he ate at the Menachem Begin Boulevard branch of the Aroma coffee shop chain. The Health Ministry conducted an investigation and determined that it was the coffee shop that was responsible, having improperly store the tuna fish. Officials on Thursday raided the factory where the tuna used by the coffee shop was processed to check on sanitary conditions.

Although the investigation determined that it was one coffee shop that was at fault, Israelis decided they were better off being safe than sorry, and many eschewed their usual tuna fish sandwich – sending sales of one of the most popular coffee shop staples plummeting by as much as 70%. In addition, supermarkets reported a dip in sales of canned tuna fish, with products by the Williger company, from whose plant the tainted tuna was shipped, falling by as much as 50%.

Officials said they would also investigate other incidents of food poisoning that until now were not linked to tuna fish, with one of the incidents going back over a month. A man in his 60s checked into Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv Wednesday complaining of stomach pains after eating a tuna sandwich, but he was released Thursday after doctors determined that he was not suffering from food poisoning. Speaking to Yediot Acharonot, Shai Berman, chairman of the Israel Restaurant Association, said that “thousands of kilos of tuna are sold in Israel daily. This single and regrettable incident does not reflect the overall situation. Tuna fish is not the new enemy of Israel, and Israelis should feel confident eating it.”