Hipp Korea, the official importer in Korea of the organic baby and toddler food brand HiPP, said the recent baby food recall in parts of Europe was unrelated to any issues in the manufacturing process.
According to Hipp Korea on the 22nd, the recall began after irregularities were identified in some products sold at local retail stores in Austria. Local investigative authorities found that a third party had deliberately injected harmful substances into products that were in normal distribution.
Austrian investigative authorities said the incident was a criminal act intended to extort the manufacturer. They officially announced that it was a case of external tampering during distribution, not a defect arising from the manufacturing process. During the investigation, it was also confirmed that the products met quality standards at the time of shipment.
The product at issue is "HiPP organic carrot & potato (190g)," and the recall was carried out only for specific lots handled by some distribution channels in Europe. Hipp Korea said the product is not officially imported into Korea and is unrelated to products distributed in Asia, including Korea.
Hipp Korea said products sold in Korea are managed under a supply system operated separately from some European distribution channels. The company also noted that a distribution structure and quality control standards differentiated by product are applied.
A Hipp Korea official said, "The items subject to this recall are not imported into Korea and are unrelated to products distributed in Korea and the rest of Asia," adding, "Rumors spreading through some online communities and social media, such as 'HiPP formula toxic substance detected' or 'HiPP formula recall,' are completely untrue."