For a Chinese translation of this media statement click here.
The Ministry for Primary Industries today released the findings from extensive testing of New Zealand dairy products for dicyandiamide (DCD).
“MPI and the New Zealand dairy industry have conducted voluntary testing of New Zealand dairy products to build a comprehensive picture of the presence of DCD in New Zealand’s milk supply,” MPI Director General Wayne McNee said.
The tests have found no traces of DCD in milk collected from New Zealand farms after mid November 2012.
“We are releasing the core findings of the testing today to be as open as we can be with our markets and customers, despite the fact that the quantities of DCD found in our dairy products creates absolutely no food safety risk whatsoever,” Mr McNee said.
With the co-operation of the dairy industry, nearly 2000 samples of dairy products have been tested from all the major dairy companies.
Testing has specifically targeted dairy products using milk collected during the New Zealand spring last year from the less than five percent of dairy farmers who used DCD on pastures. Results have been coming in as recently as last week.
As expected, minute traces of DCD have been found in various dairy products already in the supply chain from a variety of companies. However, there remains no food safety risk – all traces have been significantly below the European Commission’s daily intake level for DCD.
“Importantly, tests on products made from milk collected from farms after mid-November show no traces of DCD at all,” Mr McNee said.
“These findings confirm our expectations. We have informed markets of them.”
Findings and Key Points – 19 Feb 2013
1,994 DCD tests have been reported to the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) for milk and milk products made since 1st June 2012. This is the combined total for samples collected and tested by both the Ministry and the New Zealand dairy industry.
Sampling was targeted to the areas where DCD was applied to land, with the focus being product manufactured during, and shortly following, the DCD application period of 1 June 2012 through to 28 September 2012.
371 detections of DCD have been recorded.
The last dairy product manufactured directly from milk to have DCD detected was made 12 November 2012.
602 samples of products made from milk analysed since 13 November 2012 with no DCD detected.
The highest detection recorded was 2.4 parts per million (skim milk powder manufactured 9 August 2012).
Only 9 of the 1,994 samples analysed exceed 1 part per million (1 mg/kg). These products were all concentrated – that is, dried to remove the water – and are not consumed in their concentrated form.
When considered on a liquid milk basis all results are well below 1 part per million.
