April 19, 2026, 11:16 amApril 19, 2026, 1:29 p.m
The first jar of rat poison was discovered on Saturday.Image: APA/APA
The police are searching in Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia for a possible blackmailer who poisoned Hipp baby food. According to the Upper Bavaria North Police Headquarters, Germany is not affected, but the Ingolstadt Police Department is also investigating here.
The Austrian police in particular are intensively searching for a second 190 gram jar of “carrots with potatoes” contaminated with rat poison, which, like a jar discovered on Saturday, is said to have been circulated in Burgenland, southeast of Vienna. The Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (Ages) spoke on Saturday of a suspected blackmail attempt. She later deleted this reference from her press release. The Ingolstadt police headquarters did not confirm blackmail.
Austrian police warn parents
The Austrian police called on parents of small children to check whether they might have a tampered glass in their cupboard. Tampered jars can be recognized by the fact that the lid is damaged and the usual popping sound when opened cannot be heard. In addition, the manipulated glasses should have a white sticker with a red ring on the bottom of the glass.
Hipp confirms manipulation – “external criminal intervention”
Products and sales channels in Germany or other European countries that are not part of the investigation are not affected, Hipp spokesman Clemens Preysing told the German Press Agency.
He confirmed that, in addition to Austria, manipulated jars contaminated with rat poison had also appeared in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The trading partners in the Czech Republic and Slovakia had taken all Hipp glasses out of sale as a precaution, said the Hipp spokesman. He spoke of “an external criminal intervention.” “The incident has no connection with product quality or manufacturing,” he emphasized.
According to the Bavarian police, searches are being carried out in two federal states in Austria: In addition to Burgenland, also in Upper Austria. The Ingolstadt police are conducting and coordinating investigations and are in close contact with the company, as a spokeswoman for the police headquarters in Ingolstadt said. She did not give any further details for tactical reasons.
The Austrian police are also keeping a low profile
“It is important that the glass is found and taken out of circulation,” Austrian police spokesman Helmut Marban told dpa. “There is a lot to suggest that there is only this second glass.” This is evident from criminal tactical sources. He did not want to give further details. “Any further details mentioned could jeopardize the investigation.” Nevertheless, further manipulations can never be ruled out.
According to him, evidence of the manipulated glasses came from Germany. In South Moravia in the Czech Republic, the Brno public prosecutor’s office has started an investigation, a police spokesman there said. However, the danger situation in the Czech Republic is assessed as “not very high”.
Customer delivered suspicious glass
The company recalled all products from Spar supermarkets in Austria late on Friday. She warned: “Eating such a glass can be life-threatening.” In the afternoon, a customer delivered a suspicious jar that had not yet been used. It appeared in the town of Schützen am Gebirge (Eisenstadt-Environment district). An analysis revealed rat poison.
According to the Agency for Health and Food Safety (Ages), active ingredients in rat poisons can lead to a reduced ability of the blood to clot. Possible consequences include bleeding gums, nosebleeds, bruises or blood in the stool. If parents notice such symptoms in their children who have eaten Hipp food, they should definitely consult a doctor.
The company had its origins in Pfaffenhofen more than 120 years ago. Hipp Holding AG is now based in Sachseln in the Swiss canton of Obwalden. (sda/dpa)