Austrian authorities are investigating after rat poison was discovered in a brand of baby food.
The Burgenland State Criminal Police Office seized a tampered jar of HiPP brand carrot and potato baby food 190-grams in the Eisenstadt-Umgebung district. Action was prompted by ongoing investigations in Germany.
The affected jar was marked with a white sticker and a red circle on the bottom. According to police, the product tested positive for rat poison. The jar had a damaged lid that had already been opened and made no "pop" sound when opened again. It also had an unusual smell.
The report was made by a member of the public, but the product was not consumed. In the Czech Republic and Slovakia, marked glasses were also seized by police.
It appears to be a deliberate act and not a problem related to the manufacturer's production process.
Spar Austria has withdrawn the entire HiPP baby food jar range from sale as a precautionary measure. Customers are asked not to consume and return HiPP jars purchased from Spar, Eurospar, Interspar or Maximark.
In the Czech Republic, information from the Regional Public Prosecutor's Office in Brno shows that police seized two jars of HiPP baby food in a store in Brno, which matched the description given in an e-mail sent by the unknown perpetrator.
Rat poisons contain various ingredients with different health effects. The most common ingredient is bromadiolone, a vitamin K antagonist. This inhibits the effect of vitamin K, which is necessary for blood clotting. As a result, clotting ability can be reduced. Possible consequences in humans include bleeding gums, nosebleeds, bruising, and blood in the stool. Symptoms may appear within two to five days of ingestion.
