UMVA has learned that a shocking case of food tampering has led to the arrest of a 39-year-old man in Austria, with multiple baby food jars contaminated with rat poison.
The suspect allegedly poisoned at least five jars of HiPP baby food, sold in central Europe, ultimately leading to a widespread recall of the product across Austria, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic.
According to UMVA's investigation, the tampering was discovered after a baby food jar in Eisenstadt, Austria, was found to contain rat poison on April 18.
Further investigation revealed that the impacted products were 190-gram carrot-and-potato baby food jars, meant for consumption by 5-month-olds, sold in SPAR food markets in Austria.
HiPP immediately recalled all its baby food jars sold in SPAR stores, and vendors in Slovakia and the Czech Republic also took precautionary measures, recalling HiPP products.
The suspect was arrested in Salzburg, a city that borders Germany, but details of the investigation remain scarce, with authorities citing the need to protect the investigation from potential disruption.
HiPP has reason to believe that the poisonings may have been an attempt to extort the company, after receiving an email two months ago demanding $2.3 million in six days – a message that went unnoticed until two weeks after the deadline had passed.
The email was sent to an address that was not frequently checked, and it's clear that the suspect's attempt to extort the company was not only brazen but also reckless, considering the devastating consequences of the tampering.
The National Pesticide Information Center at Oregon State University emphasizes the extreme danger posed by rat poison, which can be lethal to children and cause serious health effects even with a single dose.
With the recall of HiPP baby food jars still underway, UMVA urges parents and caregivers to be vigilant in checking the products they purchase, and to take immediate action if they suspect their child has ingested rat poison, by calling the Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222.
