In yet another case of contaminated food, five samples from five outlets of US fast food retail giant KFC have been found to contain harmful substances.

Tests conducted by the Telangana State Food Laboratory found the KFC food samples to contain bacteria found in human waste. The test samples contained pathogens, salmonella and E Coli bacteria.

The tests were reportedly conducted on samples that had food packed on the day of the test. The packs were sent to the lab in sealed condition.

However, KFC rejected the findings and denied any knowledge of the samples being collected. The fast food giant instead questioned the conditions under which the samples were transported for the test and stated that the company maintained the highest standards of hygiene.

In a statement issued on Thursday, KFC said, "We have no knowledge of the sample being collected from any of our stores and in what condition it has been transported for this alleged test."

"There is no possibility of any microbial development in our food which is freshly cooked. This is an attempt to wrongly malign our brand reputation," said KFC, adding that it would seek a clarification from the concerned authorities.