A woman says an airport security officer in Las Vegas confiscated her frosted cupcake because he thought the icing could be a security risk.

Rebecca Hains, of Peabody, Massachusetts, said the Transportation Security Administration agent took her cupcake, telling her the frosting was "gel-like" enough to violate TSA policies.

The TSA has restrictions on taking liquids and gels on to flights to prevent them from being used as explosives.

Ms Hains says she had passed through security at Boston's Logan International Airport with two cupcakes packed in jars. But she said she was stopped on Wednesday on her return from Las Vegas with one of them.

TSA spokesman Nico Melendez said the agency was reviewing the situation. He said passengers were allowed to take cakes and cupcakes through checkpoints.

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