Washington, Feb 23 (IANS): The makers of Nutella, a popular chocolate hazelnut spread, have shut down its biggest factory because of a quality issue, the media reported.

Production at the factory in Villers-Ecalles, France, was halted earlier this week after a "quality defect" was detected in semi-finished products, CNN reported on Friday.

"This defect does not correspond to our quality standards, so we decided to temporarily suspend the activity of the factory," Italian candy maker and Nutella manufacturer Ferrero said in a statement.

"This measure, taken in the name of the precautionary principle, will enable us to carry out further investigations."

Ferrero said none of the Nutella products currently on store shelves is affected by the problem and that the supply of Nutella to customers should continue uninterrupted.

Nutella was created after World War II, when a cocoa shortage in Italy required pastry makers to get creative.

Chef Pietro Ferrero, created the spread using hazelnuts, sugar and a bit of cocoa.

The spread is extremely popular across the world, CNN reported.

Over a year ago, there was a near-riot in supermarkets in France after a French grocery chain discounted Nutella by 70 per cent.

In November 2017, Nutella fans freaked out on social media after word got out that the recipe for the spread had been changed.

The amount of skimmed milk powder in Nutella was increased slightly, giving the spread a lighter colour.