Suspected listeria outbreak spreads to popular Aroma coffee chain

The popular Aroma coffee chain has stopped selling two lychee coconut iced drinks after finding possible listeria, the latest in a series of food health scares this month.

According to news site Ynet, the chain, among the most popular coffee shops in the country, posted on Facebook that it had stopped selling the drink, after “a routine check found suspicion of listeria in one of the components of the product. Therefore we have decided to stop marketing the product until a check of the factory is completed.”

An Aroma franchise in Jerusalem (illustrative photo: Nati Shohat/Flash90)

The post, which adds that Aroma hopes to begin selling the drink again soon, is no longer visible on their Facebook page.

The Health Ministry says in a statement it had been informed of the possible outbreak Sunday evening and is carrying out a check of the product. It says the factory is being cleaned and disinfected.

The outbreak concerns only the Aroma Israel chain and not the separate Aroma Tel Aviv chain, which has similar branding but is technically under its own management.

The Health Ministry has had its hands full of listeria and salmonella scares since the Telma cereal brand said salmonella-infected cornflakes had found their way to consumers in early August.