New Zealand Food Safety found health risks from banned pesticide on food
- Reports
- 4
- Developments
- 1
- Repetition
- 75%
New informationRepeats or wire copies
What happened
New Zealand Food Safety found health risks associated with the pesticide methamidophos detected on a grower's silverbeet. The pesticide was found at 360 times the legal limit and had been banned in New Zealand in 2024. Internal documents show the silverbeet was harvested and distributed before the grower was contacted, and no recall was issued.
From rnz.co.nz
Why it matters
The findings reveal that New Zealand Food Safety's public reports contradicted internal risk assessments regarding food safety. Reports indicate that New Zealand Food Safety had not issued fines or recalls for illegal agrichemical breaches for at least five years, despite dozens of incidents.
From rnz.co.nz
Who's involved
- New Zealand Food SafetyIdentified health risks associated with pesticide use on food.
- Greenpeace AotearoaObtained documents under the Official Information Act revealing internal risks.
Who could feel it
Possible knock-on effectsThese are possibilities Brind reasoned out, not predictions, and not advice. Most are not stated in any report.
- Ministry of Agriculture and ForestrySpeculative
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry could face increased costs related to regulatory oversight and potential changes in industry contracts due to enforcement failures.
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The entities involved
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New Zealand Food Safety
food safety regulator in New Zealand
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