A man has been apprehended following the discovery of rat poison in popular baby food, prompting a significant product recall.
Authorities in eastern Austria have confirmed the arrest of a 39-year-old individual in connection with the tainted HiPP baby food containers found in various supermarkets across central Europe.
HiPP, which initiated a recall of select baby food products in Austria, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic after the incident came to light last month, expressed relief at the arrest. The company stated on Saturday that it would provide further updates as new information is confirmed.
The Burgenland State Criminal Police Office, in collaboration with prosecutors, launched an investigation after poison was discovered in a baby food container purchased in Eisenstadt on April 18.
The suspect is currently undergoing questioning, with no immediate additional details provided. The Burgenland public prosecutor’s office has announced an inquiry into potential “intentional endangerment of the public.”
According to reports from the Austrian Press Agency, an expert assessment on the toxicity of the poison is pending. Five tampered baby food containers were seized before consumption, as reported by APA.
Authorities believe the tampering took place in 190-gram containers of baby food containing carrots and potatoes for five-month-old infants that were sold at SPAR supermarkets in Austria.
In response, HiPP issued a recall of all its baby food containers sold at SPAR supermarkets, including SPAR, EUROSPAR, INTERSPAR, and Maximarkt outlets in Austria, as a precautionary measure. Retailers in Slovakia and the Czech Republic also removed the brand’s baby food containers from 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 pristine condition.
Police stated that a customer reported suspicions of tampering upon discovery, but no one had consumed the affected baby food.
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