No traces of horsemeat have been discovered in the meat products sold by Bulgaria's sole IKEA store in the capital Sofia, according to local food safety authorities.

Bulgaria's Food Safety Agency had sent samples for DNA testing in a German laboratory. The results came back negative for equine DNA.

The Swedish furniture giant became the latest firm embroiled in the saga when it stopped nearly all sales of meatballs at its furniture store cafeterias across Europe after tests in the Czech Republic showed some contained horsemeat.

The furniture company made the decision to also pull weiner sausages from France, Britain, Spain, Ireland and Portugal stores.

The horsemeat scandal, which erupted in January when tests carried out in Ireland revealed that some beef products also contained equine DNA, has since spread across Europe.

Horsemeat was also found in small quantities of lasagna sold by a retail chain in Bulgaria.