Swedish furniture giant IKEA has withdrawn chocolate almond cake sold in its stores in 23 countries, including Bulgaria, after it was found to contain sewage bacteria.

Faecal coliforms, bacteria normally found in human and animal waste, were detected in IKEA cake sold in China, and the Chinese authorities have destroyed nearly two tonnes' worth.

“The production batches have, as per safety and quality routines, been tested for bacteria that can cause health issues, such as E.coli, and none of these pathogen bacteria have been found,” an IKEA spokesman has said, as cited by the Belfast Telegraph.

“However, since the product does not comply with our strict food quality standards we have decided to withdraw the concerned production batches from sale in the 23 affected countries.”

The affected countries are Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, China, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan and the United Arab Emirates.

Experts have told international media that coliforms do not normally cause serious illness but are a sign of contamination which can indicate the presence of more harmful bacteria such as E.coli.

IKEA recently recalled meatballs and sausages from 24 countries due to fears they could have been contaminated with horse meat. Bulgaria was not among these countries.