NEWS >> FOOD SAFETY
Authorities, industry group question Australian report criticising imported frozen vegetables
Date: 29 Sep 2011
A report on Australian current affairs TV programme Today Tonight stating that New Zealand is being used as the back door into Australia for Chinese frozen vegetables, avoiding residue testing and country of origin labelling, has been dismissed by food safety authorities on both sides of the Tasman.
According to the programme, the vegetables are initially imported into New Zealand and then repackaged, together with locally-grown vegetables.
It said tests on bags of frozen vegetables, mostly from New Zealand and China, showed residues of four pesticides that are banned in the European Union and are also under review in Australia.
Australian food safety authorities have responded questioning the validity of the testing done. They have also said the results do not indicate a food safety or suitability problem in terms of Australian standards.
New Zealand's Ministry of Agriculture & Forestry (MAF) says its own assessment of the results shows that the product meets New Zealand food safety standards.
MAF says there is no indication that the product has breached labelling conditions in either country. New Zealand does not require country-of-origin labelling but does require truth in labelling (including representations of origin) under consumer and food law.
It says all food – whether imported or domestically produced and/or processed – must meet New Zealand requirements. With a few exceptions, products that meet New Zealand standards can legally be sold in Australia and vice versa.
As part of MAF's routine monitoring of the food supply, it conducts a Food Residues Surveillance Programme (FRSP) annually to assess the effectiveness of current controls of chemical residues on imported and locally-produced foods.
This systems approach is recognised as being most effective and efficient at identifying and rectifying food safety issues. More information here: Food Residues Surveillance Programme (Food Safety Website)
Meanwhile Horticulture New Zealand dismissed the story as a case of "sour grapes" on the part of Australian growers who resent an increase in vegetable imports from New Zealand as a result of the transfer of vegetable processing capacity from Australia to New Zealand.
However, Chief executive Peter Silcock says Horticulture NZ does believe there could be amendments to New Zealand's food labelling laws so they have more 'country of origin' information.
He says phrases such as "made from local and imported ingredients" are not as helpful as they could be and the industry would like to see more specific labelling.
