Following the blue mozzarella scare, five packs containing boxes of ricotta have been confiscated by police in Sardinia after a woman opened a box from one of them and discovered that the cheese was pink.

The woman, who is pregnant, had purchased the cheese at a discount store on the outskirts of Olbia and when she opened the container at lunchtime she saw that the cheese was pink and covered with a mould-like substance which was also pink. She also noticed an acrid smell.

She told ANSA that the container was well sealed and that she believes that some checks must have been omitted during processing or transportation.

The cheese has been sent to a laboratory for analysis and all other regions of Italy have been alerted.