Rat poison in baby food, HiPP withdraws product from Austrian supermarkets

Rat poison was found in a jar of HiPP baby food, forcing the company to recall the product from more than 1,000 Spar supermarkets (which include Eurospar, Interspar and Maximarkt) in Austria due to food safety concerns. This was reported by the Guardian citing the police in Burgenland, Austria.

Authorities believe the tampering occurred in 190 gram jars of homogenised baby food made from carrots and potatoes for 5-month-old babies. According to the AP website, samples taken in Slovakia and the Czech Republic also tested positive, where retailers have already withdrawn all jars of the brand's baby food products from the market.

"This recall is not due to any product or quality defect on our part. The jars left our HiPP factory in perfect condition," HiPP said in a statement. "The recall is related to a criminal act that is currently being investigated by the authorities." The Burgenland police said the suspect products probably have a white label with a red circle on the bottom of the jar. Other warning signs include a damaged or opened lid and an unusual or spoiling smell.