HiPP, a prominent baby food and formula brand, has initiated a recall of its baby food jars in Austria. The action follows the discovery of rat poison in a single jar. Officials suspect tampering and confirmed the contaminated sample was a 190-gram jar of carrot and potato baby food intended for 5-month-olds, sold at SPAR supermarkets.
The affected jar, reported by a customer in Eisenstadt, showed signs of prior opening with a damaged lid and a spoiled odor. The Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety, citing Burgenland police, confirmed the positive test for poison. HiPP is recalling all its baby food jars sold at SPAR, EUROSPAR, INTERSPAR, and Maximarkt stores across Austria as a precautionary measure, offering full refunds.
Authorities in Germany, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic are also involved in ongoing investigations into potential external contamination. Rat poison, if ingested, can impair blood clotting, leading to delayed symptoms like bleeding gums or bruising.