August 5, 2013 12:00pm by David Farrar

The Fonterra fiasco

A single dirty pipe is threatening hundreds of millions of dollars of trade, as a block on New Zealand dairy products widens over fears of contamination.

Dairy giant Fonterra has been at the centre of an international storm over food safety since announcing that a single raw ingredient – a concentrated whey product – could contain a bacteria linked to botulism.

Russia has put a block on all New Zealand dairy product imports, despite not being one of the countries which imported the potentially contaminated product.

Australia’s dairy sector also appears to have been dragged into the issue, with China now blocking all milk powder products from both sides of the Tasman, Trade Minister Tim Groser confirmed.

In the year to June 30, New Zealand exported more than $11 billion in dairy products, with China the largest customer.

Fonterra was the biggest exporter.

Mr Groser said the responses of other countries were “entirely appropriate” and it was likely New Zealand would take a similarly cautious approach if it held concerns over food products. …

The botulism neurotoxin is one of the most potent, lethal substances known – it paralyses muscles and can be fatal.

Capital & Coast District Health Board infectious diseases specialist Dr Tim Blackmore said botulism was extremely rare in New Zealand.

Given the time since the contamination and that no cases had been reported, it was unlikely the bacteria would still pose a risk, he said.

“It seems to me it would be a storm in a teacup, but on a case for food safety Fonterra have done the right thing.”

Federated Farmers vice-president Dr William Rolleston begged people not to jump to conclusions.

“As far as we know no-one has got sick, it’s the testing that has brought this to the surface . . . and that has to be something that will help build Fonterra’s reputation.