European baby food manufacturer HiPP has issued a precautionary recall in Austria after rat poison was found in several jars of baby food sold there, prompting a police investigation into suspected tampering, according to reporting from The Associated Press (AP).
According to the AP, samples of the recalled baby food -- which are 190‑gram jars of carrot and potato purée intended for infants around five months old -- from Austria, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic were tested, and on Saturday, the results showed that the product contained rat poison, prompting the immediate recall.
HiPP said it was recalling all of its jarred baby food products sold through SPAR supermarkets in Austria as a precaution. Those stores include SPAR, EUROSPAR, INTERSPAR, and Maximarkt locations.
The company said customers can return the recalled products for a full refund, even without a receipt. Retailers in Slovakia and the Czech Republic have also removed HiPP baby food jars from store shelves while authorities continue investigating.
HiPP emphasized that the recall is not related to a manufacturing or quality defect.
"The jars left our HiPP facility in perfect condition," the company said in a statement cited by the AP, adding that authorities are treating the incident as a possible criminal act.
Police in the eastern Austrian province of Burgenland are warning consumers to look for specific warning signs on jars that may have been tampered with.
They said "suspicious" jars may have a white sticker with a red circle on the bottom of the jar, the lid may look damaged or like it's already been opened, the contents might smell spoiled, and there might not be a popping sound when the jar is opened, AP reported.
The Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety said that the rat poison that has been detected typically contains anticoagulant substances that prevent blood from clotting. Exposure can lead to serious health effects, and possible symptoms include bleeding gums, nosebleeds, bruising, and blood in urine or stool.
The agency warned that symptoms may not appear immediately and can take two to five days to develop, making the substance especially dangerous for infants.
The AP reported that police in Austria, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic are continuing to investigate how the product was tampered with and whether additional jars could be affected.
For now, parents in Austria are being urged not to consume any recalled HiPP baby food products and to return them to retailers. HiPP said products sold through other distribution channels or countries not involved in the investigation are not believed to be affected.