# Questions about food in NZ



## MrsRose

So here in the US, raw milk is illegal in many states, high fructose corn syrup is not only legal but touted as "good for you", most meat comes from animals raised shoulder to shoulder in confined and disgusting factories their whole lives and fed antibiotics, fruits and vegetables are grown in nutrient deprived soil and covered in chemical pesticides, and local and/or organic farms are being seized, sued, or put out of business by big corporate food companies and the USDA. 

How does New Zealand compare in terms of food, agriculture and government corruption regarding such issues?

Is it difficult and/or expensive to find organic produce and clean, free range meat and eggs? Is raw milk legal? Is high fructose corn syrup, or other things like MSG and GMOs allowed in NZ food?


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## topcat83

I'd say that generally even our 'non-organic' food looks organic when compared to food in the US!

Our beef and lamb will be fed on grass and not corn, and it won't be pumped full of hormones. 
More animals here will be reared outside on grass than in sheds - it's cheaper. 
However, that doesn't mean to say that all NZ farming is geared around the animals - farming is a business and there are definitely some farmers who are kinder to their animals than others. I can see that just in our little area of the countryside.
We have chicken sheds here too - and I don't think I've heard of that many commercial chicken farms anywhere in the world that seem to give their birds enough space (IMHO).

Fruit & veges are much more seasonal here, and most will come from NZ so will have travelled a shorter distance to market. You do change your shopping habits to buy things when they're in season. It's strawberries at the moment - 3 punnets for $5 - yum!

As for the corn syrup, fructose, MSG etc. I don't think they're illegal, but they're much less likely to be used in any volume, not least because of the smaller choices of processed food that is available.


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## inhamilton

MrsRose said:


> Is it difficult and/or expensive to find organic produce and clean, free range meat and eggs? Is raw milk legal? Is high fructose corn syrup, or other things like MSG and GMOs allowed in NZ food?


Cows are grazed in open fields here in NZ. However I think raw unpasteurised milk is illegal for public sale (unless I'm mistaken), although farmers and their families drink it. I don't think they add anything to it before it is sold to the public, it's just pastuerised (sterilised by heating I think?) to get rid of bugs etc and make it safer to drink.
In Hamilton here there is an organic food shop. I presume there would be others in other centres as well. 
MSG is allowed, but all processed food has to be labelled with contents. If you want to avoid MSG, you just avoid products with additive 621. I do that myself. Like any other country, NZ consumers are becoming more and more wary of what is in the food they are eating. There are generally sections of supermarkets for organic and gluten free products nowadays.


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## Liam(at)Large

inhamilton said:


> I don't think they add anything to it before it is sold to the public, it's just pastuerised (sterilised by heating I think?) to get rid of bugs etc and make it safer to drink.


Most NZ (and Australian) milk has milk powder added to it to meet protein and quality standards. Some contaminated protein powder (lactoferrin) a few years ago contained melamine and killed a bunch of babies. I know one of the common additives in most NZ milk is permeate.

http://www.3news.co.nz/Lactoferrin-...e-back/tabid/423/articleID/73614/Default.aspx

http://m.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10834725

One thing that hasn't been mentioned so far is, while there are all these nicer differences with NZ food, you pay for it at the checkout counter every time you shop... Food shopping is much more expensive in NZ than NA, even buying in season.


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## inhamilton

Liam(at)Large said:


> Most NZ (and Australian) milk has milk powder added to it to meet protein and quality standards. Some contaminated protein powder (lactoferrin) a few years ago contained melamine and killed a bunch of babies.


Just to clarify that point, if was found that the melamine was added after it reached China by Chinese distributors. In fact, if I remember rightly, the Chinese executed some people over that scandal. NZ actually had nothing to do with the contamination.


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## Guest

Forgive me if I'm wrong- but don't most kiwis grow their own veggies n fruits? Obviously this would be organic and very cost effective. 
It's the opposite in many areas of the states- as you pay out the wazoo for water and live in small lots....


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## topcat83

ABear said:


> Forgive me if I'm wrong- but don't most kiwis grow their own veggies n fruits? Obviously this would be organic and very cost effective.
> It's the opposite in many areas of the states- as you pay out the wazoo for water and live in small lots....


Lol - I'm not sure if I'd go as far as 'Most'  In my case i seem to have brown fingers, so even though we have a 'toy farm' if we relied on my growing prowess we'd starve! In Auckland, many people don't have a large enough garden to grow their own, even if they have the time (too much in-filling with new houses now - one of the reasons we moved out).


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## Song_Si

ABear said:


> Forgive me if I'm wrong- but don't most kiwis grow their own veggies n fruits? Obviously this would be organic and very cost effective.
> It's the opposite in many areas of the states- as you pay out the wazoo for water and live in small lots....


Using myself, friends as a 'focus group' I'd say few people today have big 'old-style' vegetable gardens. And a very low percentage would be anywhere near self-sufficiency. 
Short growing seasons, weather (always blame the weather). I tried for years in Wellington, hillside, windy, salt spray, frosts, drought that would be an average year. Soil a mix of rock/clay. 
Not the climate for many fruits, I had some success with limes/lemons, feijoas and passionfruit, tomatoes in tubs in a sheltered spot. Glasshouse/greenhouse the best option.
On the farm in Wairarapa where I spent much of my time it was different, though only 155km away. Inland, better soil, good for fruit trees, but still the extremes of frost and drought. And rabbits, wild goats on occasion, curious sheep (often). 
Auckland region maybe has the most favourable climate, and big market garden areas back that up. 
Smaller sections, less time and fast-food . . . .


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## Guest

Maybe it's more of a generation thing... My husbands family all have gardens. By family I mean, parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc. so middle aged group + 
Not sure about his younger family members as we don't keep in touch with them. 
My husbands parents are in the Waikato and were commenting to me the other day how more and more families are being self sufficient in NZ (rising cost of staples etc. ) even the younger kids are growing small amounts on their balconies etc. 
According to mum she saves $600+ yr having a garden.


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## topcat83

ABear said:


> Maybe it's more of a generation thing... My husbands family all have gardens. By family I mean, parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc. so middle aged group +
> Not sure about his younger family members as we don't keep in touch with them.
> My husbands parents are in the Waikato and were commenting to me the other day how more and more families are being self sufficient in NZ (rising cost of staples etc. ) even the younger kids are growing small amounts on their balconies etc.
> According to mum she saves $600+ yr having a garden.


I think more of a family thing! It sounds like you have a family with green fingers and thumbs. I'd love to 'have the knack' - I think I've wasted more cash on vegetable seedlings that didn't survive the winds around our place than I would save on buying veggies!


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## kaztayli

Consumers getting a raw deal about raw milk | Scoop News

raw milk can be sold to the general public - no more than 5L per day per family


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## Lester

The use of food additives, MSG and untold amounts of toxic colourings, artificial sweetners and other additives that are frowned upon and/or banned in the UK and US are widely used in NZ. 

I don't know how it is in the US but certainly in the UK food manufacturers have voluntarily phased out many of the iffy E numbers especially in foods targetted at children. Here you have to really scrutinise the labels and there is little awareness outside of expat circles on the real nasties such as E102 Tartrazine, E110 Sunset Yellow, E123, E124, E127, E133 and E155

Like elsewhere in the world people still insist on feeding their kids a diet of Chicken nuggets and McDs Happy Meals. At least McDs do show some responsibility in making it clear on what is in their foods and trying to reduce the harm. Most of the UK reacted years ago to market forces and health advice to avoid the likes of Tartrazine, this has not been the case in NZ and the bright orange and toxic colorings in sweets and drinks are very noticeable to me - to the extent now that I can feel the effects myself now when I have accidentally eaten something dodgy.

We seldom come across Kiwis who eat unprocessed and fresh from scratch ingedients, with lots of reliance on tinned foods such as baked beans and spaghetti in tomato sauce, biscuits, mass produced ice-creams, plastic processed ham and 'meat' product such as sausages, 'chips n dips'.

Free range and organic produce is not widely available in the everyday supermarkets and you have to seek out markets, specialist butchers and expensive deli style shops if you want proper food. A small free range chicken costs NZ$18 and is therefore beyond the reach of an average family. There's little call for better quality food and only very recently seen some debate around call to banning of sow crates, which has at least opened the way for some marketing of free farmed pork produce (but these do come at a hefty price). People tend to care little about battery farmed eggs.

There was some staggering stats on TV recently around the consumption of KFC, I can't recall the amounts but if blew me away.


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## Liam(at)Large

Most of the below is utter nonsense... Of the 100+ kiwis I personally know (family, friends, coworker; admittedly only .0025% of the population), none meets the picture drawn below. Free range or organic products are available in every grocery I've been to.

The report regarding KFC was predominantly referring to PIs.



Lester said:


> Like elsewhere in the world people still insist on feeding their kids a diet of Chicken nuggets and McDs Happy Meals. At least McDs do show some responsibility in making it clear on what is in their foods and trying to reduce the harm. Most of the UK reacted years ago to market forces and health advice to avoid the likes of Tartrazine, this has not been the case in NZ and the bright orange and toxic colorings in sweets and drinks are very noticeable to me - to the extent now that I can feel the effects myself now when I have accidentally eaten something dodgy.
> 
> We seldom come across Kiwis who eat unprocessed and fresh from scratch ingedients, with lots of reliance on tinned foods such as baked beans and spaghetti in tomato sauce, biscuits, mass produced ice-creams, plastic processed ham and 'meat' product such as sausages, 'chips n dips'.
> 
> Free range and organic produce is not widely available in the everyday supermarkets and you have to seek out markets, specialist butchers and expensive deli style shops if you want proper food. A small free range chicken costs NZ$18 and is therefore beyond the reach of an average family. There's little call for better quality food and only very recently seen some debate around call to banning of sow crates, which has at least opened the way for some marketing of free farmed pork produce (but these do come at a hefty price). People tend to care little about battery farmed eggs.
> 
> There was some staggering stats on TV recently around the consumption of KFC, I can't recall the amounts but if blew me away.


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## MrsRose

I suppose I will just have to determine for myself the availability of healthy foods in NZ when I visit there in a few months. 
In regards the last few comments though...the US is not comparable to the UK when it comes to food quality. Artificial ingredients that have been banned in the UK are still widely used and don't even have to be labeled here. We even have TV commercials here that present corn syrup as good for you! Lol
So in that respect, we're used to having to scrutinize every item we buy in a grocery store already. And our family eats mostly vegetarian meals at home so I'm not too worried about the price of meat. Organic meat is far more expensive than conventional here as well.


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## inhamilton

Lester said:


> The use of food additives, MSG and untold amounts of toxic colourings, artificial sweetners and other additives that are frowned upon and/or banned in the UK and US are widely used in NZ.
> 
> I don't know how it is in the US but certainly in the UK food manufacturers have voluntarily phased out many of the iffy E numbers especially in foods targetted at children. Here you have to really scrutinise the labels and there is little awareness outside of expat circles on the real nasties such as E102 Tartrazine, E110 Sunset Yellow, E123, E124, E127, E133 and E155


The dodgy 'E' numbers, as you call it are actually additives that are approved for use in Europe (ie E stands for Europe).

There are 71 additives used in the UK that are banned (or not listed) in Australia NZ. But conversely, there are just 52 additives banned (or not listed) in the UK that are used in Australia NZ. So it's swings and roundabouts.

See :
Banned Food Additives Codes

In regards 'decent' food, it's all a matter of opinion. I'd actually rather eat a lettuce from the supermarket without slugs, beetles etc, than an organic one that is small and half eaten by insects. And I think that's pretty much how it is worldwide. It's a matter of demand, I guess. Producers supply what the consumers want to buy. The life expectancy of people living in NZ suggests that we eat fairly healthily, on the whole.

There is an organic section in most supermarkets. In the one I go to it's about half a whole aisle, although this generally doesn't include fresh produce.


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## inhamilton

inhamilton said:


> The life expectancy of people living in NZ suggests that we eat fairly healthily, on the whole.


Although, that's not to suggest there aren't problems, of course. There are both over-nourished and under-nourished people and the full range in between.


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## pookienuffnuff

topcat83 said:


> I'd say that generally even our 'non-organic' food looks organic when compared to food in the US!
> 
> Our beef and lamb will be fed on grass and not corn, and it won't be pumped full of hormones.
> More animals here will be reared outside on grass than in sheds - it's cheaper.
> However, that doesn't mean to say that all NZ farming is geared around the animals - farming is a business and there are definitely some farmers who are kinder to their animals than others. I can see that just in our little area of the countryside.
> We have chicken sheds here too - and I don't think I've heard of that many commercial chicken farms anywhere in the world that seem to give their birds enough space (IMHO).
> 
> Fruit & veges are much more seasonal here, and most will come from NZ so will have travelled a shorter distance to market. You do change your shopping habits to buy things when they're in season. It's strawberries at the moment - 3 punnets for $5 - yum!
> 
> As for the corn syrup, fructose, MSG etc. I don't think they're illegal, but they're much less likely to be used in any volume, not least because of the smaller choices of processed food that is available.


Dont be fooled by the clean green image of NZ..the farmers here do the same stuff as those in europe were doing decades ago. There is less 'organic' or 'free range' stuff here...and v expensive. High use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides not uncommon. And the additives to packaged foods are sometimes unreal.
Best to grow your own. Or not worru about such things (I dont but I know those that do).


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## Lester

Liam(at)Large said:


> Most of the below is utter nonsense....


In your opinion or perhaps just failing to see it among your circle. I can vouch for the swags of kids that are hanging out at the dairy on their way to school in the mornings at 8am, queuing at the door for pies with ketchup and coke.

I get to see what a wide range of parents put in their kids lunch boxes and by crikey its one step away from child abuse IMO. 

If one wanted to adhere to a policy of eating only organic and free range produce it would be a near impossible challenge and unsustainable due to prohibitive cost and limited availabilty of produce. Our local supermarkets only have a token few veges and a shelf with a few items from the Ceres range of dry goods, pulses and beans.


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## Liam(at)Large

I said it before, I'll say it again, most of the below is utter nonsense...



Lester said:


> In your opinion or perhaps just failing to see it among your circle. I can vouch for the swags of kids that are hanging out at the dairy on their way to school in the mornings at 8am, queuing at the door for pies with ketchup and coke.
> 
> I get to see what a wide range of parents put in their kids lunch boxes and by crikey its one step away from child abuse IMO.
> 
> If one wanted to adhere to a policy of eating only organic and free range produce it would be a near impossible challenge and unsustainable due to prohibitive cost and limited availabilty of produce. Our local supermarkets only have a token few veges and a shelf with a few items from the Ceres range of dry goods, pulses and beans.


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## Leighr

Liam(at)Large said:


> I said it before, I'll say it again, most of the below is utter nonsense...


Seconded.


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## pookienuffnuff

topcat83 said:


> I'd say that generally even our 'non-organic' food looks organic when compared to food in the US!
> 
> Our beef and lamb will be fed on grass and not corn, and it won't be pumped full of hormones.
> More animals here will be reared outside on grass than in sheds - it's cheaper.
> However, that doesn't mean to say that all NZ farming is geared around the animals - farming is a business and there are definitely some farmers who are kinder to their animals than others. I can see that just in our little area of the countryside.
> We have chicken sheds here too - and I don't think I've heard of that many commercial chicken farms anywhere in the world that seem to give their birds enough space (IMHO).
> 
> Fruit & veges are much more seasonal here, and most will come from NZ so will have travelled a shorter distance to market. You do change your shopping habits to buy things when they're in season. It's strawberries at the moment - 3 punnets for $5 - yum!
> 
> As for the corn syrup, fructose, MSG etc. I don't think they're illegal, but they're much less likely to be used in any volume, not least because of the smaller choices of processed food that is available.


Just because animals are fed on grass/grazed outside doesnt mean they are less full of 'added chemicals'. I am sure you have all now seen the news about the DCD fertiliser used here that has found its way into milk. Remember the China melamine in milk scandal? Well DCD is a fertiliser the chemistry of which is like melamine (can show up as melamine when tested.) 

It has 'been used in New Zealand farming in a unique and innovative way ' (quote from the Ministry) if you dont find that alarming enough then they also said “Its application directly onto farm land is one of the more promising ways of reducing nitrate leaching to waterways and greenhouse gas emissions from farming, particularly dairying, as well as promoting pasture growth" 
as opposed to reducing overuse of nitrates like the rest of the world?
Then they said (as if to justify) 
"There is no food safety risk as the residues are unexpected in dairy products and there is no international standard in place" oh well...thats alright then.

Suffice to say just because its grass (and looks clean and green and organic) doesnt mean it hasnt been 'treated' with something that will end up in the meat and milk. To say nothing of the veg and fruit farming practices.


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## topcat83

pookienuffnuff said:


> Just because animals are fed on grass/grazed outside doesnt mean they are less full of 'added chemicals'. I am sure you have all now seen the news about the DCD fertiliser used here that has found its way into milk. Remember the China melamine in milk scandal? Well DCD is a fertiliser the chemistry of which is like melamine (can show up as melamine when tested.)
> 
> It has 'been used in New Zealand farming in a unique and innovative way ' (quote from the Ministry) if you dont find that alarming enough then they also said “Its application directly onto farm land is one of the more promising ways of reducing nitrate leaching to waterways and greenhouse gas emissions from farming, particularly dairying, as well as promoting pasture growth"
> as opposed to reducing overuse of nitrates like the rest of the world?
> Then they said (as if to justify)
> "There is no food safety risk as the residues are unexpected in dairy products and there is no international standard in place" oh well...thats alright then.
> 
> Suffice to say just because its grass (and looks clean and green and organic) doesnt mean it hasnt been 'treated' with something that will end up in the meat and milk. To say nothing of the veg and fruit farming practices.


What you say is true - but I don't ever think we said there were no chemicals at all, or that everything was organically grown. However I do think there are less hormones in our meat than in the US. And our rules are strict enough that we can sell most of our produce to the EU - and that is more than can be said for many countries (including much from the US). 

I think we'd all like to live off totally organically produced meat and veg - unfortunately that isn't economically viable either for the country or the population.


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## Andrew East

I don't think I'll be buying New Zealand milk products from now on, that DCD business has done it for me I'm afraid. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...wnplays-dcd-risk/story-fn3dxix6-1226562722893


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## topcat83

Andrew East said:


> I don't think I'll be buying New Zealand milk products from now on, that DCD business has done it for me I'm afraid. Cookies must be enabled. | The Australian


As per usual, the newspapers have totally gone over the top on the risk in order to sell their newspapers.
Traces were found, but they were not considered to be at dangerous levels. 
However, theindustry is moving fast! And the fertiliser has already been suspended. 

Milk safe despite DCD contamination, MPI says - Story - NZ News - 3 News


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## Andrew East

There is no dangerous level for this compound because one hasn't been established yet. Do we know if it bio accumulates or interacts with other chemicals to form harmful substances? No we do not.

I think it is prudent to take the precautionary principle in this instance and I applaud the withdrawal of DCD from the market in New Zealand. Who knows what the long term effects of exposure to this chemical will do to children and babies who consume milk powder in their diets.


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## MrsRose

Our family doesn't even drink dairy milk anymore. Conventional milk in the US comes from cows that spend their entire lives shoulder to shoulder and up to their ankles in their own waste...and fed GMO, pesticide-soaked corn instead of grass. Organic milk is so ultra pasteurized and homogenized that no healthy enzymes still exist in the finished product. 
We've switched to plant based milks instead. 
It's good that attention is being drawn so rapidly to the traces of contaminates in NZ milk. At least they do as much for the public in your country. When comparable circumstances exist in the the US food supply, the USDA hides it, denies it, and/or advertises it as safe or beneficial.


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## Andrew East

Do you make your own nut milk ? I find the commercially prepared products too full of thickeners and added sugars which makes then overly sweet. Pasteurization also robs them of the nut natural enzymes.


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## MrsRose

Almonds+water+high powered blender, and a cheese cloth for straining= homemade almond milk


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## pookienuffnuff

MrsRose said:


> Almonds+water+high powered blender, and a cheese cloth for straining= homemade almond milk


do you grow your own pesticide/herbicide free nuts in non polluted atmospheric conditions?


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## MrsRose

pookienuffnuff said:


> do you grow your own pesticide/herbicide free nuts in non polluted atmospheric conditions?


You really like to play the antagonist role, don't you?

We're just sharing ideas about food and healthy living. Certainly no harm or foul in families doing why they can to avoid contaminates in food as much as possible on their part. 

For those who ARE interested though...
Organic almonds can be purchased at a fair price (cheap even, if you buy in bulk) online, at farmers markets, and even in some grocery stores. And if you have the room in your yard and enough capital, I'm sure you COULD plant a few almond trees in your very own controlled-environment greenhouse.


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## MrsRose

It's probably not worth being paranoid about trace amount of contaminates in fertilizers/foods. Although I would say there are definite benefits to eating "clean" as often as possible. Organically grown foods are not only without the pesticides, toxins, and other various contaminates found in many conventionally grown foods, but they are also more nutrient dense...because organic soil is more nutrient dense. 

For someone who eats the typical modern diet of highly processed foods, artificial ingredients and flavors, and refined sugars, etc...there is really no point in scrutinizing your milk or produce. 
And for those people out there who are more concerned for their overall health and longevity, and who do practice clean eating as much as possible...trace amounts of contaminates only occasionally are not something to be deeply concerned about. A healthy body is capable of filtering and eliminating such things very efficiently.


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## Andrew East

Any news about the horsemeat situation over there in New Zealand?

http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/8307929/No-guarantees-NZ-free-of-horsemeat-scandal


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## pookienuffnuff

Andrew East said:


> Any news about the horsemeat situation over there in New Zealand?
> 
> Horsemeat Beef Scandal: No Guarantees NZ Free | Stuff.co.nz


Oh thats funny. No of course it couldnt happen in NZ cos its 'against the law'... yeah...cos its perfectly legal in Euriope and we dont have any rules about this or traceability or HACCP etc etc. Twits! It happened cos there are people IN EVERY PART OF THE WORLD that break the law cos no Government wants to pay for people to ENFORCE the law. A law is only ever as good as the enforcement/resources employed to check it is being conformed with. Yet another lesson for those in power that have sacked all us public sector employees whose job it was/is to check these things. Coming to a town near you.

Am off my soapbox now....


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## Andrew East

This sounds delicious Horsemeat served up in New Zealand - national | Stuff.co.nz if it wasn't for the antibiotic issue I'd be tempted to give it a go myself .

But I hear what you're saying about the lack of controls, it was 4 months until we got to hear about the DCD in milk and even then they wouldn't reveal which batches were affected. Antibiotics used in human medicine (streptomycin and oxytectracyclin )are used to treat Kiwifruit vines for PSA disease. Does anyone ever check for them? I'm sure they do but what is the safe limit and are all fruit below it, and what happens to spray drift, run off etc?


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## pookienuffnuff

Andrew East said:


> This sounds delicious Horsemeat served up in New Zealand - national | Stuff.co.nz if it wasn't for the antibiotic issue I'd be tempted to give it a go myself .
> 
> But I hear what you're saying about the lack of controls, it was 4 months until we got to hear about the DCD in milk and even then they wouldn't reveal which batches were affected. Antibiotics used in human medicine (streptomycin and oxytectracyclin )are used to treat Kiwifruit vines for PSA disease. Does anyone ever check for them? I'm sure they do but what is the safe limit and are all fruit below it, and what happens to spray drift, run off etc?


The antibiotics are prob the least we should worry about...anyway most bugs have become immune to them since the profligate issuing of them by GPs (for viral infections etc) in previous decades...plus those antibacterial cleaners. So our friendly bacteria within are probably immune too.
Worry more about all those insecticide sprays everyone likes to have on auto dispense round their homes and offices. They work same on humans (and other animals) too just need larger dose...use a flyswot or sticky traps.


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## Song_Si

http

*NZ meat: Everything but the horse*

Wednesday Feb 20, 2013
*
DNA tests of cheap products show no horseflesh - but the content still provides some food for thought.*

A range of meat products sold in New Zealand have tested negative for horsemeat, DNA tests show - but the content of some products would raise eyebrows.

Popular barbecue "sausages" Sizzlers contain three types of meat, despite only one listed in their ingredients.

The Herald had eight different meat products, both made locally and imported, tested by Environmental and Science Research (ESR) after the horsemeat scandal in Europe.

Hutton's Ham & Chicken luncheon, Home Brand Sausage Rolls, Arisiti Asian-style Meatballs, Wattie's Beef Lasagne, all packaged in New Zealand, Heinz Wattie's Sita Corned Beef Loaf, Sizzlers Original, both packaged in Australia, Pek Cured Chopped Pork, packaged in Poland and Princes 8 Hot Dogs, packaged in the UK, were all tested.

None were found to contain horsemeat.

But Sizzlers, which lists its first ingredient as "meat (including pork)" was found to contain cattle and chicken meat as well as pork.

A spokesman for Goodman Fielder, which manufactures Sizzlers, said the product complies with the strict regulatory food standards on labelling, specifically the Australian New Zealand Food Standards Code.

"In addition to this, we voluntarily elaborate on the pork content in Sizzlers to ensure persons with specific religious considerations are aware that pork is a component of the product."

He said Sizzlers do not contain offal.

Manufacturers do not need to specify which meat types are in a product, as long as they identify it as "meat", without any further details, the Ministry of Primary Industries said.

However, if a product with only "meat" listed in its ingredients was found to contain a meat not commonly eaten in New Zealand - such as horse - it could be in breach of the Fair Trading Act.

more


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## kiwigser

*Food*

Very interesting Song Si, we all know that the ingredients of processed food is iffy, what would be the result of an investigation in Thailand's food industry?


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## Song_Si

^ we have Tesco-Lotus supermarkets across the country, they may well sell UK/Euro import food/meat products that potentially contain horse without being labelled as such; haven't read of any recalls here.

I don't know about mis-labeling here. In the north and north-east of the country rice field rats are commonly eaten, as are all manner of large insects/cicada-type things, etc, there is one area known for dog-eating . . . . snakes are fairly commonly consumed, but as far as mis-labelling I haven't read of someone buying dog only to suggest it '_contained horse_'! and hard to disguise '_rat on a stick_' as anything else. Guinea Pigs maybe!

Just my observation, but little red meat is eaten here, mostly chicken and pork.

Saw a news item last year about a place over the border, Cambodia, where deep fried tarantula are a specialty (Label: does not include horse meat!)

not for me. Nil processed meat products, ever - and not on my NZ diet either. Mainly fresh fish/vege/fruit diet. I'm more concerned with the fungicides/pesticides used to excess, think long-term chemical over-use, eg mercury in fish etc, is more of a problem than someone eating a beef burger made from the Lone Ranger's horse.


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