Baby food brand HiPP recalls jars in Austria after samples test positive for rat poison

VIENNA — Baby food brand HiPP is recalling some of its baby food jars after samples taken in Austria, Slovakia and the Czech Republic tested positive for rat poison, officials said Sunday.

Authorities believe the adulteration took place in 190 gram (6.7 ounce) jars of carrot and potato baby food intended for 5-month-olds, sold in SPAR supermarkets in Austria. The first sample tested positive on Saturday.

“This recall is not due to any product or quality defect on our part. The pots left our HiPP facilities in perfect condition,” HiPP said in a statement. “The recall is related to a criminal act that is currently under investigation by authorities.”

Austrian police in Burgenland said the suspect products likely had a white sticker with a red circle at the bottom of the jar. Other warning signs include a damaged or open lid and an unusual or spoiled smell. There may also be no popping sound when you first open the jar.

HiPP has announced the recall of all its baby food jars sold in SPAR supermarkets, including SPAR, EUROSPAR, INTERSPAR and Maximarkt stores, in Austria, as a precautionary measure. Customers can get a full refund even without a receipt. Sellers in Slovakia and the Czech Republic have withdrawn all of the brand’s baby pots from sale.

A customer reported that a jar appeared to have been tampered with, police said, even though no one had consumed the baby food.

Rat poison usually includes bromadiolone, an anticoagulant that prevents blood clotting, according to the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety. Ingesting rat poison can lead to bleeding such as bleeding gums and nosebleeds, as well as bruising and blood in the stool.

Symptoms could appear two to five days after ingestion, the agency said.