IKEA Scraps Almond Cakes At Stores Worldwide After Bacteria Found

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Swedish furniture giant IKEA apparently got rid of a huge batch of almond cakes from its restaurants in well over 23 countries on Tuesday after Chinese authorities said that they contained coliform bacteria, something which is normally found in fecal matter. (Yuk)

The cakes apparently failed tests "for containing an excessive level of coliform bacteria, according to the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine," the Shanghai Daily website wrote.

On its part IKEA said that 1,800 Taarta Chokladkrokant cakes -- described on its website as an almond cake with chocolate, butter cream and butterscotch -- were destroyed in December after being intercepted by Chinese customs.

   "These cakes never reached our stores," said Ikea spokeswoman Ylva Magnusson.
   "There are indications that the levels of bacteria found are low but we obviously have to know the exact amount, and find out how this happened," she added.

According to a report on AFP which was dispatched in Greece from Kathimerini, a microbiologist at the Swedish National Food Agency, Mats Lindblad, said that coliform bacteria "could be an indication of fecal contamination though not always." He added that the bacteria were normally not dangerous for consumers.

It needs to be reminded that the Swedish company pulled its trademark meatballs off the shelves in 25 countries less than ten days ago after Czech authorities found traces of horse DNA in a batch of one-kilogram (2.2-pound) bags of frozen meatballs.

   "It's very important to us that the products our customers buy are safe and secure to use and to eat," Magnusson said.

(Combined reports, AFP, Kathimerini)