A person has been taken into custody following the discovery of rat poison in widely used baby food, prompting a significant product recall.
Law enforcement officials in the eastern region of Austria have reported the arrest of a 39-year-old individual in connection with tainted HiPP baby food containers found on store shelves across central Europe.
HiPP, which initiated a recall of certain baby food items in Austria, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic upon learning of the incident last month, expressed relief at the apprehension of the suspect. The company stated on Saturday that it would provide updates as additional verified information becomes available.
The Burgenland State Criminal Police Office, working under the supervision of prosecutors, launched an investigation after poison was discovered in a baby food container purchased at a supermarket in Eisenstadt on April 18.
The suspect is currently undergoing questioning, with no immediate release of further details. The Burgenland public prosecutor’s office has opened an inquiry into the suspected “intentional endangerment of the public.”
According to reports from the Austrian Press Agency, an expert assessment on the poison’s toxicity is pending. Five tampered baby food containers were seized before they could be consumed, as reported by APA.
Authorities believe that the tampering occurred in 190-gram containers of baby food containing carrots and potatoes for five-month-old infants sold at SPAR supermarkets in Austria.
In response, HiPP issued a recall of all its baby food containers sold at SPAR supermarkets across Austria as a precautionary measure. Vendors in Slovakia and the Czech Republic also removed the brand’s baby food containers from their shelves.
The company clarified that the recall was not due to any fault in its products or quality, emphasizing that the containers left its facility in perfect condition.
Law enforcement mentioned that a customer noticed apparent tampering with a container at the time of the discovery, but fortunately, no one had consumed the baby food.