Uruguay squad's caramel spread confiscated in Brazil Published duration 17 June 2014

image caption Dulce de leche is extremely popular in Uruguay

Brazilian officials say they confiscated 39kg (86lb) of caramel spread from Uruguay's football team as it arrived in Brazil for the World Cup.

The spread, called dulce de leche, is extremely popular in Uruguay but the Brazilian authorities said that as it was made with milk, it needed sanitary documentation which was lacking.

Some fans are already blaming Uruguay's shock 3-1 defeat to Costa Rica on the lack of dulce de leche.

Uruguay will play England on Thursday.

The dulce de leche was seized from the team after it landed at Confins airport near their training camp in Sete Lagoas.

image copyright Reuters image caption Uruguay fans fear their team has been thrown out of kilter due to the lack of dulce de leche

image copyright AP image caption Deprived of dulce de leche, Uruguay fans have had to resort to other sweets

An official with the Brazilian agriculture department told Reuters news agency that the Uruguayans could have the dulce de leche back "as soon as they can produce the necessary documents".

"Or they can pick it up on their way out of Brazil," the official added.

It is not clear if one person carried the entire 39kg-stash or if the jars of the popular sweet paste had been distributed between the players.

Former Uruguay goalkeeper Juan Castillo said the team had also taken dulce de leche to the World Cup in South Africa, where they had not had any problems at customs.

Dulce de leche is made by cooking down milk with sugar, baking soda and vanilla extract.

It is very popular spread on bread, pancakes and biscuits, or poured over fruit or ice-cream.