Health Ministry: 'Of Tov' smoked turkey contains dangerous germ

The Health Ministry released a statement Thursday night warning the public not to eat "Of Tov" company's smoked turkey cold cuts. The ministry said that the turkey contained Listeria germs, which can cause meningitis and miscarriages.

The Health Ministry stressed that the germ is only in the smoked turkey product and that "Of Tov" is cooperating and following the ministry's instructions.

Listeria germs are dangerous to infants, the elderly, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems. The germ can cause pregnant women to miscarry, and can cause critical damage or even be lethal to the elderly or those with a weak immune system.

"The germ can penetrate the blood stream and reach the brain, causing meningitis which can be lethal," said Dr. Silvin Pitlik, an expert of infectious diseases at Beilinson Hospital in Petach Tikva, "however it is important to remember that healthy people who are not very young or very old won't be hurt by eating food with the Listeria germ or will have a stomach ache - but that's all."

According to Tova Krause, a clinical dietician who is an expert in proper nutrition for pregnant women, "the Listeria germ damages the fetus and can cause a miscarriage, or lead to the birth of a stillborn infant or sickly premature baby."

"Despite this," Krause added "it is important to put things in proportion: There are only a few dozen cases of Listeria in Israel each year."

"Of Tov" will place a notice in all of Friday's newspapers calling for the public to return the smoked turkey product. The cost of the notice could reach hundreds of thousands of shekels.

The bad publicity is expected to hurt the company's sales, at least in the short term. "Of Tov" said in response that "we are working in coordination with the Health Ministry to do all we can to solve the problem and are calling for the public to return the product."