Baby food brand HiPP is recalling jars of infant food sold at SPAR supermarkets in Austria after samples tested positive for rat poison, the Associated Press reported Sunday, triggering a precautionary sweep across three Central European countries.
Tampering Detected Saturday
The contamination was detected in 190-gram jars of carrot and potato puree designed for infants five months and older. The first sample tested positive on Saturday. Vendors in Slovakia and the Czech Republic have since pulled all HiPP baby food jars from shelves.
HiPP said the tampering was not a manufacturing failure. “The jars left our HiPP facility in perfect condition,” the company said in a statement Sunday, according to the AP. “The recall is related to a criminal act currently under investigation by the authorities.”
What To Look For
Burgenland Police said consumers should look for warning signs, including a white sticker with a red circle on the jar’s base, a damaged or opened lid, and an unusual smell. The absence of a popping sound when the jar is first opened is also a red flag.
No one has consumed the affected product. A customer reported a tampered jar to the police, prompting the investigation.
Health Risks
Rat poison typically contains bromadiolone, an anticoagulant that prevents blood from clotting, according to the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety. Symptoms, including bleeding gums, nosebleeds, bruising and blood in the stool, can appear two to five days after ingestion.
HiPP said it is recalling all baby food jars sold across its Austrian SPAR network, which includes EUROSPAR, INTERSPAR and Maximarkt outlets. Full refunds are available without a receipt.
A Broader Pattern
The incident adds to growing scrutiny of infant food safety. In February 2026, U.S.-based IF Copack LLC voluntarily recalled Tippy Toes Apple Pear Banana puree after the FDA detected toxic levels of patulin, a mycotoxin that forms when mold develops on fruit, during routine sampling. No illnesses were reported in that case.
Austrian authorities are continuing their criminal investigation into the HiPP tampering.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Image: NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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