Extortion in the food industry: rat poison in baby food puts the sector on high alert

The discovery of rat poison in jars of HiPP baby food in Austria highlights the vulnerability of the food supply chain. Authorities suspect this is a targeted extortion attempt, a phenomenon that remains rare but has a significant impact.

International criminal activity?

Austrian police confirm that a 190-gram jar tested positive for rat poison after a consumer raised the alarm. HiPP had previously not ruled out that “a dangerous substance had entered the product” and warned that consumption could be “life-threatening.” The manufacturer subsequently recalled products from more than a thousand Spar stores as a precaution.