Imported ingredient contaminated with melamine found in NZ

Melamine has been detected in an imported ingredient used to fortify food with iron in New Zealand, but consumers are not at any risk, says Minister for Food Safety Kate Wilkinson.

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 New Zealand Food Safety Authority on 11 February 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 New Zealand 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," Ms Wilkinson says.

"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 has been identified and NZFSA has tracked down all bags of the contaminated ingredient and put a hold on its use.

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.

Initial reports from the European Commission suggest the melamine contamination was accidental and occurred at a manufacturing plant in Spain.

The  European Commission will keep the New Zealand Government up to date with its investigation.

New Zealand is one of many countries that import the ingredient in question.