Arrest of 39-year-old comes after Swiss company HiPP last month issued product recall over tainted baby food jars.
A man has been arrested in Austria over the discovery of rat poison in a popular brand of baby food, according to police.
The arrest comes after the Swiss company HiPP last month issued a partial recall of its products after authorities found rat poison and an unspecified “toxic additive” in jars of baby food sold in Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
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HiPP, which bills itself as the world’s top organic baby food brand, said at the time that its products were not tainted during production and the recall had been prompted by a “criminal act” under investigation by the authorities.
The Sachseln-based brand later announced it had been contacted by an extortionist seeking to blackmail the company.
Police in Austria’s eastern state of Burgenland on Sunday confirmed they had arrested a 39-year-old suspect in the case.
“However, for tactical investigative reasons, we cannot provide any information about the further steps of the investigation,” Helmut Marban, a spokesperson for the Burgenland Provincial Police Directorate, told Al Jazeera.
After the discovery of the tainted baby food last month, authorities advised the public to avoid HiPP products featuring a white sticker with a red circle on the bottom of the jar, a damaged lid, a missing safety seal or a strange smell.
The Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety advised anyone experiencing symptoms of poisoning, including bleeding, extreme weakness or paleness, to consult a medical professional.
Rat poison interferes with the body’s use of vitamin K, and symptoms typically appear two to five days after ingestion, according to the Austrian food safety agency.