New Zealand Prime Minister John Key downplayed growing concerns on the latest milk scare causing China to issue another import ban but this time on Westland Milk Products. The Prime Minister said the latest milk scare news has come to New Zealand at the worst possible moment with the government's inquiry on Fonterra, the country's dairy giant that caused an international uproar over botulism fears.

The latest milk scare has many people worried about New Zealand's already damaged reputation in China. The Ministry for Primary Industries has announced on Aug. 19 that the agency has cancelled the export certificates for dairy products made from two batches of lactoferrin suspected of high nitrate content.

The lactoferrin batches were produced by Westland Milk Products who is currently under scrutiny after putting New Zealand in the spotlight again for a milk contamination issue. The Chinese authorities tested the milk products from Westland and discovered high concentrations of nitrate. The nitrate levels were apparently not detected when the products were tested in New Zealand before export to China.

Lactoferrin is a type of protein which can be found in a wide range of milk products like in infant formula and yogurt.

Prime Minister John Key assured the public that the milk products in question do not threaten food safety. He was informed that all suspected products were already identified and under quarantine in China.

Mr. Key said he still had no information as to the reason why the elevated levels of nitrate were not detected during testing in New Zealand. However, he said the matter would be investigated.

Another blow to dairy industry

The latest development has placed New Zealand's premium dairy industry on the worldwide media's radar especially China. After the previous botulism scare in Fonterra's whey powder, China has issued an import ban on some of Fonterra's milk products and imposed strict testing measures of other dairy products coming from New Zealand.

Mr. Key also said the lactoferrin case should not be compared to the botulism scare because the Westland milk products did not reach customers. The alleged contamination in lactoferrin was discovered during the testing procedure conducted by China. He admitted that New Zealand is operating in a more sensitive environment and this latest issue was "particularly unhelpful."

Mr. Key said the Westland milk scare was only relayed to him last Friday, Aug. 16 while government ministers first knew about it in the middle of last week. When asked why the Prime Minister did not go public right away, he said none of the products containing high levels of nitrate had reached the local market. The government's main priority was to work with Chinese authorities to ensure they were given accurate and complete information.

Chinese authorities have treated the contaminated batches of lactoferrin from Westland Milk as a technical violation of export regulations and not a matter of food safety.

The revocation of Westland's export certificates was another smudge on New Zealand's tainted reputation. New Zealand's image as 100 per cent pure has taken another hit.

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