The Australian Dairy Industry Council (ADIC) welcomes the announcement by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) that all Australian dairy products are safe for human consumption.
Robert Poole, ADIC Vice Chairman said the industry is pleased that authorities have been able to confirm that no Australian-made consumer products for use either in Australia or for export have been affected by the contaminated ingredients produced by Fonterra in New Zealand.
“Australian dairy is operating as business as usual and products will continue to be available to consumers. This includes products manufactured for Australian use as well as for export.”
“I stress that Australian produced dairy products are safe and there are no bans or restrictions placed on these products in any global market,” said Mr Poole.
Concerns were raised over the weekend when it was revealed that there was a quality issue with three batches of WPC80, a whey protein concentrate that is used as a protein additive in some food products.
Rigorous product tracing has been undertaken by Australian authorities and they have found that no Australian-made consumer dairy products have been affected by the contaminated ingredient.
With regards to animal feed, there have been only two affected products found to have been contaminated with New Zealand ingredients. One was never released to farmers and will be destroyed and another has been recalled.
“Australian consumers can have confidence in the safety and quality of our locally made products,” said Mr Poole.
“The industry will continue to work closely with authorities to ensure that Australian dairy continues to maintain these high standards,” he said.
Media Contact:
Robert Poole, ADIC Vice Chair
P: (03) 9040 5000