Baby food brand HiPP recalls jars in Austria after samples test positive
for rat poison
[April 20, 2026]
VIENNA (AP) — Baby food brand HiPP is recalling some of its baby food
jars after samples in Austria, Slovakia and the Czech Republic tested
positive for rat poison, officials said Sunday.
Authorities believe the tampering occurred in 190-gram (6.7-ounce) jars
of baby food made with carrots and potatoes for 5-month-olds that were
sold from SPAR supermarkets in Austria. The first sample tested positive
on Saturday.
“This recall is not due to any product or quality defect on our part.
The jars left our HiPP facility in perfect condition,” HiPP said in a
statement. “The recall is related to a criminal act currently under
investigation by the authorities.”
Burgenland Police in Austria said the suspicious products likely have a
white sticker with a red circle on the bottom of the jar. Other warning
signs include a damaged or opened lid and an unusual or spoiled smell.
There also might not be a popping noise when the jar is first opened.
HiPP said it is recalling all of its baby food jars sold at SPAR
supermarkets — which include SPAR, EUROSPAR, INTERSPAR and Maximarkt
stores — in Austria as a precaution. Customers can get full refunds even
without a receipt. Vendors in Slovakia and the Czech Republic have
removed all of the brand's baby jars from sale.
[to top of second column]
|
A view of HIPP baby food on a shelf, in Ceske Budejovice, Czech
Republic, Sunday, April 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Stanislav Hodina)
 A customer reported that a jar
appeared to have been tampered with, police said, though no one had
consumed the baby food.
Rat poison typically includes bromadiolone, an anticoagulant that
prevents the blood from clotting, according to the Austrian Agency
for Health and Food Safety. Ingesting rat poison could lead to
bleeding like bleeding gums and nosebleeds, as well as bruising and
blood in the stool.
Symptoms could appear two to five days after ingestion, the agency
said.
All contents © copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved |
