Austrian police have arrested a 39-year-old man in connection with the discovery of rat poison in jars of HiPP baby food, a popular organic brand. The arrest was confirmed by Helmut Marban, a spokesperson for the Burgenland Provincial Police Directorate.

The Swiss company HiPP last month issued a partial recall of its products after authorities found rat poison and an unspecified “toxic additive” in baby food jars sold in Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

HiPP, which claims to be the world’s leading organic baby food brand, stated that its products were not contaminated during production and that the recall was prompted by a “criminal act” under investigation.

The Sachseln-based company later revealed it had been contacted by an extortionist attempting to blackmail the firm.

Police declined to provide further details due to tactical investigative reasons. Authorities have advised the public to avoid HiPP products with a white sticker and red circle on the bottom, damaged lids, missing safety seals, or unusual odors.

The Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety warns that symptoms of poisoning, including bleeding, extreme weakness, or paleness, typically appear two to five days after ingestion. Rat poison interferes with the body’s use of vitamin K.

Source: www.aljazeera.com