Austrian authorities have issued a stark warning after a jar of HiPP baby food tested positive for rat poison, sparking a nationwide recall and criminal investigation.
Police in Burgenland, eastern Austria, confirmed that a sample of HiPP's carrot and potato purée, reported by a customer in Eisenstadt, contained the toxic substance. Fortunately, the infant did not consume the contaminated product. Investigators believe the jar had been deliberately tampered with.
"Should you possess HiPP baby food with this marking or notice any irregularities: do not open it," police warned in a statement. "Do not consume it under any circumstances or offer it to a small child."
HiPP, a German-Swiss brand, has recalled its entire range of jarred purées sold in Spar supermarkets across Austria, labeling the potential consumption as "life-threatening." A police spokesman indicated that at least one other poisoned jar is likely still in circulation.
The alert follows ongoing investigations in neighboring Germany, which led Austrian authorities to the contaminated product. Similar jars seized in the Czech Republic and Slovakia also tested positive for a toxic additive.
Authorities are urging parents to inspect any HiPP jars for damaged or open lids, missing safety seals, unusual odors, or a distinctive white sticker with a red circle on the bottom. The Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety advised consulting a doctor immediately if a child shows symptoms like bleeding, extreme weakness, or paleness after consumption.
The Eisenstadt public prosecutor's office has launched an investigation into intentional public endangerment. Customers are advised not to consume HiPP jars purchased at Eurospar, Interspar, or Maximarkt stores and to return them for a refund. Police clarified that baby food sold in other retailers and HiPP's infant formula remain unaffected.
This incident follows recent large-scale recalls by Nestle and Danone earlier this year, where contaminated infant formula sickened dozens of babies across multiple countries, highlighting ongoing safety concerns in the baby food industry.