An imported ingredient, used to fortify food with iron in NZ, has been found to contain melamine, but consumers are not at any risk according to the New Zealand Food Safety Authority.
Minister for Food Safety, Kate Wilkinson, said the contaminated product – ferric pyrophosphate – is an ingredient used in very small amounts to fortify a range of food products with iron.
Due to the significant dilution, there is no public health risk from products manufactured using this ingredient.
Fonterra advised the NZFSA on February 11, 2009 that it was investigating the possibility a mineral supplement it bought from a German company was contaminated.
NZFSA issued a Notice of Direction to Fonterra to continue to hold all affected product – approximately 30,000 tonnes of milk powder – in NZ that contained the ingredient, pending the results of an investigation.
Two tests on the raw ferric pyrophosphate found unacceptable levels of melamine.
Fonterra has since arranged for independent tests for the final milk powder product, with all results showing no trace of melamine at the limit of detection (0.1 parts per million).
“As a result of the investigation, I am certain there are no safety concerns for consumers,” Wilkinson said.
“All the necessary precautions were taken and the Authority implemented the risk management strategy put in place last year to address melamine concerns quickly and effectively.
“The importer involved had been identified and NZFSA has tracked down all bags of the contaminated ingredient and put a hold on its use, she said.
As well, the relevant European authorities were advised on Thursday night and this morning issued a notification.
An investigation started immediately to identify the source of the contamination.
Wilkinson said initial reports from the European Commission suggested the melamine contamination was accidental and occurred at a manufacturing plant in Spain.
NZ was one of many countries that imported the ingredient in question, she said.