[Update: BBC reports that Ikea indicated no pathogenic bacteria, such as E. coli, was found in the cake.]
Dive Summary:
- The week after its meatballs were found to contain horse meat, Ikea has removed its Taarta Chokladkrokant cakes – almond cakes made with chocolate, butter cream and butterscotch – from stores in 23 countries after the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine in China found the product to contain an excessive level of coliform bacteria.
- Mats Lindblad, a microbiologist at the Swedish National Food Agency, said the presence of coliform bacteria could have been, but was not necessarily, caused by fecal contamination; despite the disgusting discovery, Lindblad affirmed the bacteria are usually not dangerous to consumers.
- Upon seizing the shipment in December, Chinese authorities destroyed the 1,800 almond cakes, according to Ikea.
From the article:
"... '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. ..."
