The Vietnam Food Safety Authority issued on Sunday evening an urgent notice to local agencies following a warning from Austrian authorities.
According to the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety, HiPP and supermarket chain SPAR had recalled all jars of “HiPP Vegetable Carrot with Potato” (190g) from around 1,500 stores across Austria over concerns the product could contain rat poison.
Vietnamese authorities have instructed health departments nationwide to review product registrations and declarations related to the HiPP baby food line, and to work with distributors to halt sales and organise recalls in line with the manufacturer’s recommendations.
HiPP Carrot and Potato baby food product (Photo: APA).
Companies are required to report import volumes, sales figures and remaining stock, and propose handling measures for affected batches, with submissions due to the food safety authority by April 27.
Local agencies have also been asked to inform consumers not to use the affected products, while coordination has been sought with the Vietnam E-commerce and Digital Economy Agency to notify e commerce platforms and online sellers.
Authorities have requested that any listings for the product be removed and that sales be suspended if the items are found circulating in Vietnam.
Earlier reports from Austrian police said rat poison had been detected in a jar of the baby food after it was recalled due to suspected external tampering. The case was recorded in Schutzen am Gebirge, where investigators seized a 190g jar showing signs of interference.
Preliminary laboratory tests indicated the presence of a toxic substance, with witnesses reporting an unusual foul odour from affected jars. Police confirmed that the seized sample tested positive for rat poison.