The jar was reported by a customer in Schützen am Gebirge in the Eisenstadt-Umgebung district, police said. No one consumed the product, according to authorities. Police said similarly marked jars were also seized in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, where early laboratory tests detected a toxic substance.
HiPP said in its recall notice that the affected case is linked to a “criminal act” under investigation and that the products “left our HiPP facility in perfect condition.” The company said the incident is not connected to its production, quality or control systems.
HiPP baby food recall: how to identify suspect jars
Officials said consumers should be especially alert for HiPP baby food jars with a white sticker and red circle on the bottom, a damaged or previously opened lid, no vacuum “pop” or cracking sound when first opened, or an unusual or spoiled smell.
HiPP is recalling all baby food jars bought at SPAR Austria stores as a precaution. SPAR Austria said customers should not consume any HiPP baby food jars purchased at SPAR, EUROSPAR, INTERSPAR or Maximarkt and can return them for a refund without a receipt.
The Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety, known as AGES, said rat poison commonly contains bromadiolone, a vitamin K antagonist that can reduce the blood’s ability to clot. AGES advised parents and caregivers that symptoms may appear two to five days after consumption and can include bleeding gums, nosebleeds, bruising or blood in the stool.
Parents and caregivers who find a suspicious jar should not open it, feed it to a child or keep it near other food, authorities said. AGES said anyone who handles a potentially tampered jar should wash their hands thoroughly with soap for at least 30 seconds and report information to Burgenland police at +43 59133 10-3333.
Recall extends beyond Austria shelves
The recall has widened beyond the original Austrian warning. Reuters reported that HiPP confirmed affected retail partners in the Czech Republic and Slovakia removed all HiPP baby food jars from sale as a precaution. SPAR Austria also removed HiPP products from countries where it operates, including Austria, Slovenia, Hungary, Croatia and northern Italy, Reuters reported.
HiPP said the Austrian recall applies specifically to baby food jars bought at SPAR Austria. The company said it is in close contact with investigators in affected countries and will share additional confirmed consumer-safety information when authorities approve its release.
Older baby food alerts show why parents watch recalls closely
The Austria case is unusual because authorities and the company describe it as suspected criminal tampering, not a production failure. Still, earlier infant and toddler food alerts show why parents often react quickly when recalls involve food for young children.
In July 2024, a German product-warning notice reported that HiPP recalled four toddler meal bowls after a small possibility that black nightshade seed-like plant material had entered some products, though the company said there was no acute health risk from the small quantities involved, according to Produktwarnung.eu’s recall article.
In August 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration posted an Able Groupe recall covering some European infant formulas sold under HiPP, Holle, Bioland and Kendamil because the products did not meet U.S. infant formula requirements, including iron-level labeling rules, according to the FDA recall announcement.
In 2023, U.S. regulators also warned parents not to feed toddlers WanaBana apple cinnamon fruit puree pouches after elevated lead levels were detected, a separate episode that reinforced concerns about contaminants in foods marketed for young children, according to an FDA safety alert.
Those earlier cases involved different products and different hazards. The current HiPP recall stands apart because Austrian police say a customer-reported jar was visibly tampered with and later tested positive for rat poison.
What consumers should do now
Consumers who bought HiPP baby food jars from SPAR Austria should not feed or consume them and should return them to SPAR, EUROSPAR, INTERSPAR or Maximarkt for a refund. Parents should check jar bottoms, lids, seals and smell before use and seek urgent medical care if a child who may have eaten affected baby food develops bleeding, severe weakness or unusual paleness.
Police said the investigation is being handled by the Burgenland State Criminal Investigation Office in cooperation with Austria’s Federal Criminal Police Office. Authorities asked the public to report suspicious jars or relevant information quickly.
