A major contamination scare that sparked a broad product recall and left public health officials on high alert across Central Europe has led to an arrest in Austria, law enforcement officials confirmed Saturday.
A 39-year-old man was taken into custody in connection with the scheme, which saw rat poison intentionally placed in multiple jars of German baby food manufacturer HiPP’s carrot and potato puree. The first contaminated container was discovered two weeks ago in Austria’s eastern Burgenland state, triggering an immediate recall of an entire product line from the brand.
In total, five poisoned jars have been safely recovered across three Central European countries: Austria, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. All of these contaminated units were seized before any consumer could eat the product, preventing potential catastrophic harm to infants. But investigators warned that the threat has not been fully contained: at least one additional poisoned jar is believed to still be on store shelves or in homes across the region.
According to local Austrian newspaper Die Presse, the incident was an extortion plot that exploited a gap in the company’s internal monitoring. The perpetrator sent an email on March 27 demanding a €2 million ransom (equivalent to roughly £1.73 million), giving HiPP a six-day deadline to transfer the funds. However, the message was sent to a general company email address that staff only check every two to three weeks, meaning the demand was not discovered until after the deadline had already passed. HiPP CEO Stefan Milz confirmed the details of the missed ransom note in an interview with the outlet.
Burgenland police spokesperson Helmut Marban told the BBC that no additional details about the suspect or the process leading to his arrest could be released to the public at this stage, as the investigation is still active and ongoing.
To help consumers avoid potential exposure, public health authorities have issued clear guidance for identifying tampered jars. Consumers are warned to inspect HiPP glass baby food jars for signs of tampering including damaged or loose lids, missing safety seals, unusual or spoiled odors, and a distinct white sticker with a red circle on the bottom of the container. The Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety has also advised parents who have already given their babies this batch of HiPP baby food to seek immediate medical attention if their child develops symptoms linked to rat poison exposure, including unexplained bleeding, extreme fatigue, or unusual paleness.