Ban on NZ dairy ingredient after excess nitrates found
Print Edition
China has suspended imports of a dairy product from New Zealand after excessive level of nitrates were detected.
Heilongjiang Wondersun Dairy Co discovered an excessive level of nitrates in imported lactoferrin from Westland Milk Products, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine said yesterday.
The quality watchdog has ordered quarantine authorities to seal the material imported by Wondersun and halt imports of Westland lactoferrin, a naturally occurring protein found in milk. It has also asked other New Zealand dairy companies to provide nitrate test reports.
A total of 390 kilograms of lactoferrin made by Westland was exported to China but none of the raw material had entered the retail chain.
No affected lactoferrin has been used in products in New Zealand or exported elsewhere.
New Zealand’s Ministry of Primary Industries revoked export certificates for four consignments of lactoferrin by Westland.
The consignments were from two affected batches of lactoferrin made by Westland.
Westland exported one batch directly to a Chinese distributor, which sold the product on to Wondersun as an ingredient for other dairy products. The second batch was supplied to New Zealand’s Tatua Co-operative Dairy Company, and also exported to Wondersun.
“The food safety risk to Chinese consumers is negligible because the quantities of lactoferrin used in consumer products was very small, meaning the nitrate levels in those products would easily be within acceptable levels,” the New Zealand ministry said yesterday.
It said it had verified the problem as limited to the two batches identified.
“Food safety is not the issue in this instance because lactoferrin is used as a very minor ingredient in food products. This means that, even if the lactoferrin with elevated nitrates had been added to food, the retail products would still have nitrate levels significantly below allowed limits,” Rod Quin, Westland’s chief executive, said yesterday.
The nitrates are believed to be from traces of cleaning products (which contain nitrates) not adequately flushed from the plant prior to a new run of product, Westland said.
The announcement follows New Zealand’s leading dairy company Fonterra’s revelation that its dairy ingredients were contaminated with a botulism-causing bacteria.
Fonterra confirmed earlier this month that three batches of whey protein concentrate, totaling 38 tons, were contaminated by clostridium botulinum, the bacteria that can cause paralysis, breathing difficulties and even death.
The Fonterra botulism scare affected eight companies whose products, including infant formula and sports drinks, were exported to China and six other countries. China and Vietnam stopped some dairy imports from New Zealand.
The New Zealand government announced yesterday that its investigation into the Fonterra contamination crisis would look at the causes of and the official response to the botulism scare, Xinhua news agency reported.
Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy and Food Safety Minister Nikki Kaye said the government’s investigation into Fonterra’s whey protein concentrate contamination incident would be in two parts.
“Part A will look at how the potentially contaminated whey protein concentrate entered the New Zealand and international market, and how this was subsequently addressed,” Guy said.
“Parts B and C will look at regulatory and best practice requirements against the background of this incident in relation to the dairy industry, including the response of regulators. The inquiry will then report back on any recommended legal, regulatory or operational changes.”
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