SABOTAGE is being cited by the owner of a popular bakery here, after ingredients for its best-selling cakes and chicken-mushroom pies were found reeking of chlorine.

The Royals, which has five outlets selling cakes and pastries, had its factory in Bedok North shut down by the authorities after staff discovered the contamination on Sunday morning.

Its director Joy Tang, 49, said that when its workers opened a tub of chicken-mushroom pie filling, they smelt a strong bleach-like odour. They also noticed a pale layer of liquid on top of the filling.

The discovery prompted a check on other ingredients. They found a tub of sugar syrup, used for making cakes, also tinged with the smell of chlorine. The tubs of contaminated ingredients had been prepared the day before and were stored in separate walk-in chillers, said Ms Tang.

The police were summoned, who later called in officials from the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA).

About 15 staff members have been interviewed by the police, said Ms Tang. When asked for more details, police said yesterday that investigations were ongoing.

The Royals, which is known for its dark chocolate truffle cake and chicken pie, has said that all items sold so far are safe to eat, as the contaminated ingredients were not used in production.

But the AVA remains cautious, and is still conducting tests on the products. It has advised consumers to dispose of food recently bought from The Royals' outlets. It has ordered the withdrawal of all the company's products.

So far, the bakery chain and AVA have not received complaints about food poisoning from eating The Royals' products.

Ms Tang has apologised to customers in notices put up at her shops, and said that customers who wanted to return recent purchases would get refunds. She estimates her losses to be about $8,000 a day.

Read the full report in Tuesday's edition of the Straits Times.