20130307

Faecal bacteria found in Ikea chocolate cakes

Faecal bacteria found in Ikea chocolate cakes

Health authorities in China have confiscated nearly two tonnes of chocolate cakes imported from Sweden by Ikea after finding high levels of bacteria commonly found in the human intestinal tract.

According to the Shanghai Daily, high levels of coliform bacteria were found in a shipment of Ikea's almond chocolate cakes, prompting authorities to seize and destroy 1.87 tonnes of the dessert.

The shipment arrived in Shanghai from Sweden in January.

Coliform bacteria are universally present in large numbers in the feces of warm-blooded animals and are commonly used bacterial indicator for testing the sanitary quality of foods and water.

Ikea spokeswoman Ylva Magnusson told the TT news agency the Swedish retailing giant is trying to get more information about the report.

The Ikea chocolate cakes were one of 247 different products from a range of suppliers that failed Chinese sanitation inspections, the Shanghai Daily reported.

"We buy chocolate from one supplier. That it's of high quality, that checks are carried out in all warehouses, and that rules are followed are obviously all important questions," Magnusson told TT.

The revelations that faecal bacteria were found in Ikea's chocolate cakes comes just a week after horsemeat was found in the company's Swedish meatballs, prompting a massive recall.

On Monday, the Sweden-based meatball supplier to Ikea stores in Europe said it had traced the horsemeat to a Swedish supplier with ties to slaughterhouses in Poland.

Speaking with the Aftonbladet newspaper, Magnusson emphasized Ikea's commitment to quality.

"It's important that products that might contain bacteria don't make it to customers," she said.

"The safety of our products is our highest priority."

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