LONDON — Sweden, land of Ikea and social welfare, has something to tell the world — news that could shock the palate.

Swedish meatballs, the signature national dish, are really Turkish.

The country’s national Twitter account made the announcement in a tweet this week.

“Swedish meatballs are actually based on a recipe King Charles XII brought home from Turkey in the early 18th century,” the tweet said. “Let’s stick to the facts!”

It was not immediately clear why Sweden decided that now was the right time to set the record straight, but the admission created a storm of reaction.