MAF monitoring Japanese food imports

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) is actively monitoring the emergency situation in Japan, and in particular the safety of food imports from Japan to New Zealand.

"We have confidence in Japan’s food safety management and systems to manage this issue," MAF Director-General Wayne McNee says.

To date, MAF has not identified any food imports from Japan that present a risk to New Zealanders’ health.

"We have assurances that Japanese authorities are taking effective measures to keep contaminated food products out of the supply chain, for both their domestic and export markets."

MAF has also contacted importers of food from Japan and is working with them to ensure that products are assessed and targeted products will be tested. Importers are cooperating on this matter.

New Zealand imports very little food from Japan. These imports are limited to a small range of specialty products (such as small volumes of seaweed and sake as well as other Japanese specialty food products such as mirin, soy sauce, dried noodles, pickled ginger, wasabi).