#Fonterra botulism probe progresses

Share on twitter
Share on facebook
Share on linkedin
Share on whatsapp
Share on email

The final stage of a government inquiry into Fonterra’s botulism scare will start next week.

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy and Food Safety Minister Nikki Kaye said the final part of the government inquiry into the Whey Protein Concentrate Contamination Incident will begin on May 12.

Earlier parts of the inquiry, covering the robustness of New Zealand’s food safety standard were completed earlier this year, but the final part, which effectively covers what went wrong at Fonterra, was put on hold until the Ministry for Primary Industries compliance investigation was complete, sentencing had occurred, and the appeal period had expired.

In August last year Fonterra revealed that products from a Waikato plant, used in infant formula products, could contain a bacteria which could cause botulism. The situation was complicated because Fonterra could not immediately say where the products were, but the incident turned out to be a false alarm.

Last month Fonterra was fined fined $300,000 on charges under the Animal Products Act, for the incident that caused a food-safety scare that damaged New Zealand’s international reputation.

«Part A [of the inquiry] will examine how the potentially contaminated whey protein concentrate entered the New Zealand international markets and how this was subsequently addressed,» Guy said in a statement.

Kaye said inquiry chairwoman Miriam Dean QC had been conducting preliminary work with the Department of Internal Affairs on a suitable date to begin the inquiry to ensure availability of other inquiry members and that a secretariat was available.

The Government said Dean had written to the ministers warning the report would take place «against the background of the current civil litigation arising from the incident».

French food giant Danone is seeking hundreds of millions of dollars in compensation from Fonterra over the incident.

Dean wrote to the ministers: «In these circumstances, it will be especially important to develop processes that are fair to all participants, while also ensuring the matters in the terms of reference are fully addressed in a timely manner.»

A likely time frame for the report will be indicated to the Government by the end of May.

Source: Stuff

Mirá También

Así lo expresó Domingo Possetto, secretario de la seccional Rafaela, quien además, afirmó que a los productores «habitualmente los ignoran los gobiernos». Además, reconoció la labor de los empresarios de las firmas locales y aseguró que están «esperanzados» con la negociación entre SanCor y Adecoagro.

Te puede interesar

Notas
Relacionadas