Parents across parts of Europe are being urged to check their shelves after a major baby food scare turned into a criminal investigation. German baby food company HiPP recalled multiple products after several jars of carrot and potato purée were found contaminated with rat poison, prompting health warnings and an international police probe.
Authorities in Austria’s Burgenland State Police said they were “currently issuing an urgent warning” after suspicious jars tested positive for poison. Investigators also linked similar cases to the Czech Republic and Slovakia, raising concern that the tampered products may have crossed borders before being detected.
HiPP confirmed the affected product was its 190-gram carrot and potato baby food sold through Spar supermarkets in Austria. The company warned consumers that eating the contaminated food could potentially be “life-threatening.”
“As a precaution,” HiPP said it was recalling all jarred baby food sold through Spar-owned stores, including Eurostar, Interspar and Maximarkt. The company added, “It cannot be ruled out that a dangerous substance has been introduced through external influence,” while stressing that children’s safety remained its “top priority.”
Spar Austria also pulled HiPP products from shelves in countries where it operates, including Austria, Slovenia, Hungary, Croatia and Northern Italy. Spokeswoman Nicole Berkmann confirmed, “It is true. We recalled all HIPP-products from our shelves as a precaution measure.”
Police said shoppers should inspect jars for warning signs, including damaged lids, no popping sound when opened, spoiled odors, or a white sticker with a red circle placed on the bottom of the glass.
German investigators later revealed the company had received an extortion email demanding two million euros. Authorities said, “Immediately after the police received an email from the alleged perpetrators on April 16, 2026, all necessary notifications, coordination and measures were taken both domestically and internationally.”
Officials say five tampered jars were seized before consumption, though one may still be unaccounted for in Austria. Parents whose children may have eaten the food were urged to seek medical attention immediately, especially if symptoms like weakness, paleness or bleeding appear.
HiPP maintained the contamination was “not due to a product or quality defect on our part,” saying the jars left its factory in “perfect condition.”
