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Fonterra reassures consumers on 1080 contamination

Following the anonymous threat  to contaminate baby formula and other milk products with the highly toxic 1080 unless New Zealand stops using the pesticide by the end of this month – which caused trading in New Zealand dairy company shares to be suspended and the New Zealand dollar drop 8% in value – Fonterra has moved to reassure consumers. […]

Following the anonymous threat  to contaminate baby formula and other milk products with the highly toxic 1080 unless New Zealand stops using the pesticide by the end of this month – which caused trading in New Zealand dairy company shares to be suspended and the New Zealand dollar drop 8% in value – Fonterra has moved to reassure consumers.

Fonterra Chief Executive Theo Spierings said the criminal threat targeted New Zealand and the entire dairy industry.

“We can fully assure our customers and consumers that all of our milk and products are safe and of high quality, and our supply chain continues to be secure and world-class. We are playing our part in helping the Government manage the criminal threat, as is the rest of the dairy industry.”

“We have taken immediate and decisive steps to give our customers and consumers added confidence – including increased testing and security measures.”

• Fonterra has worked with the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to establish a validated testing regime that is being used by the dairy industry for both raw milk and dairy products targeted by the threat, he said.

• In mid-January, Fonterra began its own testing regime to provide its customers with further assurances as to the safety of its products. Fonterra is testing all raw milk that it processes – testing every tanker.

• Fonterra is testing all paediatric products and nutritional base powders that it manufactures as well as all paediatric products and nutritional base powders manufactured after 1 September 2014.

• The testing methods that Fonterra uses are validated and have been approved by the MPI. The laboratories undertaking the testing are accredited to ISO 17025 and are MPI recognised dairy laboratories.