Tell the public if melamine is currently for sale

The New Zealand public deserves to know if any products contaminated by melamine are currently on supermarket shelves, said Green MP Sue Kedgley.

Fonterra has been told by the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) to hold around 30,000 tonnes of affected product – milk powder with an iron additive that has been tainted overseas by melamine.

Reports suggest the contamination occurred in Europe with the source of the contamination a factory that manufactures flame retardant. Other New Zealand food companies have also bought the tainted supplement.

“The question is why has the Food Safety agency halted the sale of the ingredient, but not issued a recall notice to pull contaminated product from the shelves. After all, melamine is an industrial poison, and has never been approved for human consumption,” said Ms Kedgley.

“The Government, Fonterra and any other companies that have bought the tainted supplement should take a precautionary approach and pull any product off the shelves that they know might contain melamine.”

“I believe it is unethical and unsafe to knowingly sell products that might be contaminated with an industrial poison. Tell us what products may be affected or do we have to avoid all milk powders, yoghurts and similar foods” said Ms Kedgley.