Health Ministry recalls Telefrost green beans after bacteria spotted

The Health Ministry on Wednesday announced a recall of all Telefrost green bean products after Listeria bacteria was found during an inspection at one of the manufacturer’s factories.

This was the second recall of Telefrost products in as many months. In February, all Telefrost frozen vegetables were pulled from shelves after Listeria was found in several bags.

In the latest inspection, the dangerous bacteria was flagged in 800-gram bags of chopped green beans with an expiration date of January 1, 2025. Consumers who purchased such bags were advised by the Health Ministry to discard them.

In August, the Tnuva food manufacturer pulled some of its Sunfrost frozen products from Israeli grocery stores three days after a customer found bits of snake in a bag of green beans.

That incident took place two weeks after bits of dead mouse were found in another bag of frozen green beans from the same brand.

Listeria is a food-borne illness that can cause high fevers and nausea in minor cases, but the infections can be fatal to people with weakened immune systems and young children, and can cause miscarriages in pregnant women.

It is a major issue for modern food producers, resulting in repeated recalls of products like cheese, meat, milk, and even vegetables. Listeria has also proven to be one of the hardiest of food-borne pathogens; unlike many other germs, it can grow even in the cold temperature of a refrigerator, and can only be killed by cooking and pasteurization.