World

Baby Food Laced With Rat Poison Was an Extortion Plot

By Mike Harper · April 21, 2026

Five jars of baby food containing rat poison were found in three countries over the weekend. On Monday, the company that makes them said the contamination was deliberate — and criminal.

German baby food manufacturer HiPP confirmed Monday that it had been the target of an extortion attempt, after authorities in Austria, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia discovered tampered jars of its baby food containing rat poison. Bavarian police, who are leading the investigation, confirmed that an unknown perpetrator had sent HiPP an email demanding €2 million — approximately $2.35 million — threatening to poison jars placed in specific supermarkets if the payment deadline was not met.

The deadline passed without payment. The poisoned jars followed.

The email was sent to HiPP on March 27, with a deadline of April 2. According to HiPP, the message went to a general company address that is not reviewed daily — the company says it did not see the email until April 16, two weeks after the deadline had passed. German police confirmed the email had come to their attention that same day, at which point cross-border investigations immediately began.

Five tampered jars were recovered safely in Austria, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia before any child consumed the contents. A sixth jar is believed to still be in circulation in Austria, and authorities have not confirmed its location. Austrian police confirmed the recovered jar tested positive for rat poison, specifically a rodenticide that inhibits blood clotting — a compound that can cause severe bleeding, particularly dangerous in infants.

The affected product is HiPP’s 190-gram carrot and potato baby food puree. Tampered jars have been identified by a white sticker with a red circle on the bottom and a damaged lid that does not make the usual “pop” sound when opened. Austrian health authorities have urged parents, kindergartens, and daycare centers to inspect any HiPP jars carefully before use.

Austrian supermarket chain Spar issued a full recall across its network. Retailers including Rewe, Billa, Bipa, and DM Austria have also pulled the product as a precaution. HiPP has offered full refunds for all returned jars.

No injuries have been reported. The perpetrator has not been identified. Police in Germany and across Central Europe are actively investigating.