Blackmailer Behind Europe's 'Rodenticide Baby Food' Case Demanded 3.5 Billion Won

As authorities continue their investigation into the discovery of rat poison ingredients in baby food sold at Austrian supermarkets, it was belatedly confirmed that the manufacturer received a threatening email last month demanding a large sum of money.

According to the Austrian daily Die Presse on April 20 (local time), Germany’s premium organic baby food company HiPP received a threatening email on March 27, demanding a transfer of 2 million euros (equivalent to 3.46 billion won). The email stated that unless the money was sent by April 2, two jars of baby food containing toxic substances would be placed in the Interspar supermarket in Eisenstadt, Burgenland, Austria, and in Tesco stores in Brno, Czech Republic, and Dunajsk? Streda, Slovakia.

Hip baby food 'Carrot and Potato' 190g. Hip homepage

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HiPP only discovered the threatening email on April 16, but starting April 17, two jars of baby food containing toxic substances such as rat poison were found in supermarkets in Eisenstadt and Brno. The investigative authorities in Bavaria, Germany, where HiPP’s headquarters is located, forwarded related materials to Austria. Austrian prosecutors have begun an investigation on charges of deliberate public safety endangerment, but details of the investigation, including the threatening letter, have not been disclosed. Authorities in Germany, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia are also conducting their own investigations.

The affected product is 'Carrot and Potato' 190g. This product is sold in glass jars, and a normal product makes a popping sound when opened. However, jars suspected of containing rat poison have a white sticker with a red circle on the bottom, and do not make a popping sound when opened. HiPP, founded in 1899, is a family-owned company that mainly produces powdered milk, baby food, and infant food. It is a highly renowned premium baby food brand in Europe, and some of its products are also available in South Korea.

In accordance with a recall order from health authorities, HiPP is recalling products sold at supermarkets in Austria, including Interspar and EuroSpar. The drugstore DM has also voluntarily initiated a recall at its Austrian stores.

According to the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety, the main ingredient of the toxic substance found in the baby food jars is bromadiolone, which is commonly used in rat poison. This ingredient blocks the action of vitamin K, disrupting blood clotting and causing internal bleeding. In humans, initial symptoms may be limited to mild fatigue, but after several days, symptoms such as gum bleeding, nosebleeds, blood in urine or stool, and bruising may appear. In severe cases, it can lead to gastrointestinal bleeding or cerebral hemorrhage, which may be life-threatening. Treatment involves administering high doses of vitamin K or blood transfusions.

The Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety has urged consumers to check whether the jar lid has been previously opened, to ensure it makes a distinct popping sound when opened, and to check for any unusual odors.

So far, there have been no reported cases of anyone actually consuming the baby food containing rat poison.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in South Korea stated that this particular baby food product has never been officially imported into the country. However, in anticipation of the possibility that domestic consumers might purchase the product through online direct purchases from abroad, online platforms and proxy purchasing agents have been advised to ban the sale and proxy purchase of this product online.

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