Police in Austria have warned about potentially poisoned HiPP baby food circulating in the country, after a sample of the brand's purée tested positive for rat poison.
In a statement, police in Burgenland in eastern Austria said the poisoned food had been found in a carrot and potato jar, which had been reported by a customer in the regional capital, Eisenstadt. Fortunately, their baby did not consume the food, and authorities indicated that the jar had apparently been tampered with.
On Saturday, HiPP recalled its entire range of jarred purées sold in Spar supermarkets in Austria, stating that consuming them may be potentially life-threatening. It is assumed at least one more poisoned jar is in circulation, a police spokesman told the Austria Press Agency (Apa).
Burgenland police stated that the warning about the German-Swiss brand's products was being issued following ongoing investigations in neighbouring Germany.
Authorities indicated that potentially contaminated HiPP jars had been circulating in Eisenstadt, where police seized the carrot and potato jar that was found to contain the rat poison after an examination.
Officials are urging vigilance among consumers, advising parents to look for signs of tampering such as damaged or open lids, missing safety seals, unusual odours, and a white sticker with a red circle on the bottom of the jar.
A toxic additive was also discovered in similar jars seized by police after laboratory tests in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The police warned: Should you possess HiPP baby food with this marking or notice any irregularities, do not open it. Do not consume it under any circumstances or offer it to a small child.
The Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety has cautioned parents whose babies have consumed the food to consult a doctor if they observe signs of bleeding, extreme weakness, or paleness.
The Eisenstadt public prosecutor's office has launched an investigation into the intentional endangerment of public health following the incident.
Customers are advised against consuming HiPP jars purchased at Eurospar, Interspar, and Maximarkt, and to return them for a refund. The police confirmed that baby food sold in other stores remains unaffected by the recall, and emphasized that HiPP's baby formula is also not implicated in the situation.
This incident follows a series of other recent baby food recalls due to contamination fears from brands like Nestle and Danone earlier this year in multiple countries.
