Rat poison has been discovered in HiPP baby food jars across Central Europe, prompting urgent recalls and warnings from health authorities Monday. Austria’s Health Minister Korinna Schumann said countries pulled the baby food from shelves after rat poison was found in jars sold at SPAR supermarkets. Similar contamination was confirmed in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, with authorities investigating the cases as intentional poisoning.
The discovery raises urgent food-safety concerns across the region and has alarmed parents relying on the formula products. Health officials have warned caregivers to inspect jars for identifying marks and signs of tampering before feeding infants, as ingestion of the poison could cause bleeding and other serious effects within days.
The Discovery
The first poisoned jar tested positive Saturday. Austrian authorities discovered rat poison in a 190-gram container of HiPP baby food with carrots and potatoes intended for five-month-old children, sold at SPAR supermarkets in the Vienna region. By Monday, health officials across Central Europe had pulled the product from shelves.
“It is deeply disturbing that someone is apparently willing to endanger the health of babies for criminal motives,” Health Minister Korinna Schumann told the Austrian news agency APA. She advised parents, kindergartens, and daycare centers to exercise extreme caution with HiPP products.
Authorities believe the tampering occurred after the product left the HiPP facility but before reaching consumers. “The jars left our HiPP facility in perfect condition,” the Germany-based company said in a statement. “This recall is not due to any product or quality defect on our part.”
Spread Across Central Europe
Czech authorities confirmed two poisoned jars in the city of Brno; Slovakia’s police investigated suspicious jars from a store in Dunajska Streda. Slovenia preemptively withdrew all HiPP products from supermarket shelves across the country.
Austrian authorities alerted Hungarian officials about a poisoned jar that may have been purchased by people living near Eisenstadt, an eastern Austrian town. HiPP recalled all baby food jars sold at SPAR-branded supermarkets in Austria, which include SPAR, EUROSPAR, INTERSPAR, and Maximarkt locations.
Identifying Contaminated Products
Burgenland Police warned that poisoned jars display a white sticker with a red circle on the bottom. Other warning signs include a damaged or opened lid, an unusual or spoiled smell, and an absence of a popping noise when first opened.
Rat poison typically contains bromadiolone, a chemical that prevents blood from clotting, according to the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety. Ingestion could lead to bleeding gums, nosebleeds, bruising, and blood in the stool, with symptoms appearing two to five days after exposure.
Investigation and Response
Burgenland’s prosecutor’s office was investigating the contamination as intentional endangerment of the public. Authorities announced they were searching for a second jar that may have poison in circulation.
Ester Svetlik Danelova, a mother on maternity leave in Prague, said the situation is worrying for families relying on the formula. “I have three kids, and we definitely use this throughout their lives,” she said. “On the bright side, it means I cook more at home now.”