A sample of 190-gram jar of HiPP Vegetable Carrot with Potato, which has been recalled from 1,500 stores across Austria due to suspected contamination with poisonous addictive. — Photo suckhoedoisong.vn

HÀ NỘI — The Food Safety Authority under the Ministry of Health of Việt Nam has requested the Ministry of Industry and Trade to notify and suspend the sale of certain HiPP baby food products from Germany–Switzerland that have been flagged on e-commerce platforms.

On Sunday, the authority said it had sent an official document to the E-commerce and Digital Economy Agency under the Ministry of Industry and Trade regarding stricter management of food sales online.

It called on the agency to inform e-commerce platforms and online storefronts to work with sellers and distributors to stop trading any batches of HiPP baby food suspected of containing toxic substances if such products are found circulating in Việt Nam.

Relevant listings for substandard or unsafe products are also to be removed and handled in accordance with the law.

The move follows an announcement on Sunday by Austria’s Agency for Health and Food Safety, which said that HiPP, a German–Swiss baby food manufacturer, and supermarket chain SPAR had recalled all 190g jars of HiPP Vegetable Carrot with Potato from 1,500 stores across Austria due to suspected contamination with a poisonous additive.

On the same evening, the Food Safety Authority also issued a notice to health departments nationwide and local food safety sub-departments warning about the affected HiPP baby food products.

To safeguard consumer health, the authority urged local agencies to urgently review product registration and self-declaration dossiers related to HiPP baby food jars.

They were also instructed to work with companies that have declared such products to require them to notify distributors and consumers to stop using the products and carry out recalls in line with the manufacturer’s recommendations. Companies must report figures on imports, sales and remaining stock and propose measures for handling affected batches.

At the same time, authorities were asked to step up public communication to ensure consumers do not use any of the implicated HiPP baby food products and to report handling results to the Food Safety Authority by April 27. — VNS