Suspect held in Austria baby food poison case
A man has been arrested in Austria after authorities discovered rat poison in baby food jars sold in supermarkets, triggering a major food safety alert across Central Europe.
Burgenland Police confirmed that a 39-year-old suspect was detained in Salzburg state and is currently being questioned. Officials have not yet released further details about the case.
The investigation began on April 18, when a jar of baby food produced by HiPP was found to contain poison. The product had been purchased at a supermarket in Eisenstadt. Authorities say the contamination appears to have affected 190-gram jars made with carrots and potatoes, intended for infants as young as five months old.
Following the discovery, HiPP issued a precautionary recall of its products sold at SPAR locations across Austria, including SPAR, EUROSPAR, INTERSPAR, and Maximarkt stores. Retailers in Slovakia and the Czech Republic also removed the brand’s baby food jars from shelves.
In a statement released after the arrest, HiPP said it was “greatly relieved” by the development and pledged to provide updates as more information becomes available. The company also revealed it had been the target of an extortion attempt, claiming that a blackmailer contacted them and prompted immediate notification of the police.
Prosecutors in Burgenland have launched an investigation into suspected intentional endangerment of the public. Authorities confirmed that at least five tampered jars were intercepted before they could be consumed, and no injuries have been reported.
According to Austria’s food safety agency, rat poison often contains bromadiolone, a substance that prevents blood from clotting. Exposure can lead to symptoms such as bleeding, bruising, and other complications, typically appearing several days after ingestion.
Experts are still analyzing the exact toxicity of the substance found in the contaminated jars, while the investigation into the motive and full scope of the incident remains ongoing.
