Israeli children ate falafel in Egypt - and almost died from dangerous poisoning

Two Israeli children, unrelated to each other, were hospitalized at Rambam within ten days after eating Egyptian falafel (ta'amiya) during a vacation in Egypt and developed acute anemia from red blood cell breakdown. Both families had a history of G6PD enzyme deficiency, but they did not know that Egyptian falafel is made entirely of fava beans. The treating physician, Dr. Reizi Grouda-Zussman, discovered this by checking with ChatGPT. One child required a blood transfusion.

Two Israeli children, with no connection between them, were hospitalized at Rambam Medical Center within a ten-day period after eating Egyptian falafel (ta'amiya) during a vacation in Egypt. In both cases, the children developed acute anemia as a result of rapid breakdown of red blood cells. Both families have a background of G6PD enzyme deficiency, sometimes called "fava bean sensitivity," but the parents did not know that Egyptian falafel is made entirely of fava beans, unlike Israeli falafel which is made from chickpeas. The first case: a 12-year-old boy arrived at Rambam about a week and a half ago with jaundice, dark urine, and a significant drop in hemoglobin. The family insisted they had not been exposed to fava beans, but said they had eaten falafel. The senior physician, Dr. Reizi Grouda-Zussman, checked with ChatGPT and discovered that Egyptian falafel is made entirely of fava beans. The boy required several days of hospitalization. The second case: an 8-year-old boy, whose family knew about his fava bean sensitivity and was careful to avoid exposure, required a blood transfusion during hospitalization. His younger brother, aged two, was exposed to a small amount and arrived with low hemoglobin but did not require hospitalization. Dr. Grouda-Zussman emphasizes the importance of checking food ingredients, especially for those with sensitivities.