Austrian authorities have confirmed the discovery of rat poison inside a container of HiPP infant food, leading to an extensive product withdrawal from more than 1,000 SPAR grocery stores throughout the nation due to safety concerns.
Law enforcement officials in Burgenland, Austria, announced in a Saturday evening statement that laboratory analysis of a 190-gram container of “Carrots and Potatoes” baby food, which was reported by a concerned customer, confirmed the presence of rat poison.
HiPP acknowledged on Saturday that the possibility of a hazardous material being deliberately added to their HiPP Vegetable Carrot with Potato products could not be dismissed, suggesting potential product tampering had occurred.
The company warned that ingesting the jar contents could result in fatal consequences.
According to the police announcement, compromised containers displayed specific warning signs: a sticker featuring a red circle on the jar’s bottom, lids that appeared previously opened or damaged, missing safety seals, or containers emitting strange odors.
Authorities noted that preliminary laboratory analysis of comparable jars confiscated by law enforcement in the Czech Republic and Slovakia also revealed toxic substance presence, though additional specifics were not disclosed.
Police indicated that Austrian officials received alerts about potential dangers following investigative work conducted in Germany, but declined to elaborate further.
HiPP stated on Saturday: “According to our current knowledge, this critical situation involves an external criminal interference that affects the SPAR Austria distribution channel.”
Company representatives were unavailable for additional comment on Sunday.
A SPAR representative informed Reuters on Saturday that the product withdrawal represented a safety precaution affecting 1,500 Austrian locations, with no consequences for stores in other countries.
Both SPAR and HiPP urged consumers to avoid eating contents from jars purchased at SPAR Austria locations, promising complete refunds for returned merchandise.
Law enforcement recommended that anyone who handled the containers should thoroughly cleanse their hands afterward.
