Furniture chain Ikea probing faecal bacteria in almond cake

STOCKHOLM (AFP) - Swedish furniture giant Ikea said on Tuesday it was investigating claims that Chinese authorities had found coliform bacteria, normally present in faecal matter, in an almond cake made in Sweden for the company's restaurants.

The cake had 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.

Ikea said 1,800 Taarta Chokladkrokant cakes - described on its website as an almond cake with chocolate, butter cream and butterscotch - were destroyed after being intercepted by Chinese customs last November.

"These cakes never reached our stores," said Ikea spokeswoman Ylva Magnusson, adding that the group was currently looking into whether cakes from the suspect batch had been sent to any other countries.