The Government says it is continuing efforts to deal with any market fallout from contamination of a Fonterra product, as media around the world criticise the state of New Zealand's political and natural environment.
The dairy co-operative announced on Saturday that 38 tonnes of its whey protein used by other manufacturers, including the baby formula manufacturer Nutricia, was contaminated with a bacterium that can cause botulism.
The whey protein was tainted by a dirty pipe at one of the company's processing plants in Waikato in May 2012. Testing in March this year indicated a problem and the whey tested positive for clostridium botulinum on 31 July.
Trade Minister Tim Groser says the Government has kept regulatory authorities in known affected countries fully informed, to help them trace and recall product and advise consumers.
He says the Government is working round the clock with Fonterra and other affected companies, and New Zealand has stopped issuing export certification for any potential at-risk products.
New Zealand's reputation as being clean and green, and for being a safe producer of food, gives many agricultural exports a price premium in overseas markets
Why so slow? asks China
In the wake of the Fonterra scare, media around the world have slammed the state of New Zealand's natural environment and regulation.
This week, Chinese government-controlled media outlets have suggested a lack of government regulation in New Zealand has led to repeated food scares.
State-run Xinhua news agency questioned why New Zealand authorities were so slow in setting up an infant formula exporter register.
It accused New Zealand politicians of bleating incessantly about the need for free trade, then throwing as much produce into the market as fast as possible once the doors have opened.
British paper gets stuck in
In the UK, the Daily Mail newspaper has labelled the clean green brand as pure manure.
It said New Zealand's record of preserving its natural environment is one of the worst in the world on a per capita basis and most rivers are too polluted to swim in. The paper said New Zealand is the "only OECD country that does not produce a regular national report on its environment".
However on Thursday, Environment Minister Amy Adams announced the Government will be legislating for independent environmental reporting.
Ms Adams acknowledged New Zealand has been the only OECD country not to do this and said she believes in the principle that you can't manage, what you don't measure.
She says the reports will be compiled by the Secretary for the Environment and Government Statistician, at arms length from the Government.
