NZFSA refines melamine response approach

The New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) has further formalised its risk management response approach which details response options for melamine in infant formula, food ingredients and whole foods, says Dr Geoff Allen, NZFSA Director (Compliance & Investigation).

“Over the weekend, NZFSA continued working with other international food safety and health authorities, particularly Australia, Canada and the United States to refine the approach announced late last week. We also received updated information from the European Union and World Health Organization and, using this, we have been able to set risk management options for melamine in food. These are in line with those also being established in most other countries.”

Dr Allen says the level of 5 ppm that NZFSA announced Friday remains as the trigger for investigation into ingredients used to make food products. “For infant formula, the level remains set to the current level of test detection of 1 ppm. For foods in their final form, other than infant formula, this level is 2.5 ppm.

“The European Food Safety Authority opinion on the estimated tolerable daily intake (TDI) of melamine states 0.5 mg/kg bodyweight (ie, for every kg a person weighs they can safely consume 0.5 mg every day – for a 20 kg child this is 10 mg; for a 70 kg adult the safe amount is 35 mg).”

This means that it has been considered that foods containing up to 5 ppm of melamine do not pose a risk to human health. However, NZFSA has adopted a higher safety factor than is normally applied in such cases, and has set the limit of 2.5 ppm before regulatory action is considered.

Dr Allen says that where NZFSA finds foods that exceed these levels, an investigation will be initiated and the appropriate action will be taken.

“This may include similar actions to those we took with the White Rabbit Creamy Candies which tested at 180 ppm, where we issued a Privileged Statement under the Food Act to immediately notify New Zealanders of the risk, while at the same time working with importers to withdraw the products from shop shelves.

“In addition to our sampling programme, we are requiring all importers to provide us with confirmation that the products containing Chinese dairy ingredients that they currently have on the market, and those that they intend to import, meet New Zealand standards.”

Since early last week all identified consignments of products containing dairy ingredients originating in China have been stopped by Customs pending approval from NZFSA before they are permitted entry to New Zealand.

“We are working closely with Customs and importers to ensure that New Zealand consumers are protected.”