The strange substance that emerged over the week on many southern Bulgarian Black Sea beaches is palm oil, said Bulgarian environmental inspection authorities.

The whitish granules were found to predominantly contain palmitin acid, a chief ingredient of palm oil, said Sunday the Burgas environmental unit (RIOKOZ).

Samples of sea water taken at various locations showed no traces of crude oil or its products, added the Burgas RIOKOZ.

Initial repors of the mysterious substance said it emitted a smell of oil, with some speculating it could have been used to neutralize an undisclosed oil spill.

According to RIOKOZ, the substance is not dangerous for people's health.

Environmental authorities added that there are no land locations from where it could have been thrown into the see.

That leaves open the option that the substance might have been discharged by a ship, in which case the incident falls in the competence of maritime authorities, added RIOKOZ Burgas.

The environmental unit said it made an analysis of the white granules found on five of the affected beaches - at Lozenets, Koral, Varvara, Arapya and the mouth of the Veleka River.

The white granules were washed by the sea in large quantities over the beginning of this week on many southern Bulgarian beaches from Primorsko all the way down to Sinemorets near the Turkish border.