New Zealand Sugar Company has been fined for manufacturing, distributing and selling sugar products that were contaminated with lead during transport. In November and December 2021, the company, trading as Chelsea Sugar, recalled thousands of packs of sugar because of potential low lead levels. Two other product recalls were needed… Continue Reading Enforcement, World, Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR), lead contamination, New Zealand, New Zealand Food Safety, New Zealand Sugar Company, sugar Food Safety News
New Zealand Sugar Company has been fined for manufacturing, distributing and selling sugar products that were contaminated with lead during transport.
In November and December 2021, the company, trading as Chelsea Sugar, recalled thousands of packs of sugar because of potential low lead levels.
Two other product recalls were needed when it was discovered New Zealand Sugar Company gave incorrect information to supermarkets, resulting in more sugar products being released to consumers.
In Auckland District Court, the company pled guilty in May 2024 and was sentenced on two charges, including breaching its National Program — designed to manage any food risk to consumers — and negligently endangering, harming, creating, or increasing risk to customers by distributing its product. A sentencing hearing was held in September 2024 and the court has now released its decision, which was a fine of NZ $149,500 (U.S. $85,000).
Ship cleaning unsuccessful
Vincent Arbuckle, New Zealand Food Safety deputy director general, said offending at this scale was rare, and the sentence sent a strong message that it will not be tolerated.
“These recalls had a significant impact on consumer access to certain sugar products, such as brown sugar. It also affected a large number of other businesses which had to recall products made with the contaminated sugar,” he said.
Arbuckle said the firm failed to properly detect the extent of lead contamination until after the sugar had been used in production.
In September 2021, the New Zealand Sugar Company imported sugar from Australia that became contaminated with lead during transport. It manufactured and distributed 971 tons of contaminated products to businesses in New Zealand.
Sugar had been sent to New Zealand from Australia aboard the cargo ship Rin Treasure — a vessel used to ship metal sulfide concentrates (lead and zinc) on its previous voyage.
Before choosing this ship, New Zealand Sugar Company was advised it had failed a survey report in early September, meaning it was not fit to load and transport bulk sugar. Prior to its departure, the vessel was cleaned, and a report certified the hold was fit to stow and carry raw sugar.
However, cleaning was not effective, and sugar became contaminated with lead during the journey from Queensland. This contamination may have been exacerbated by a broken pipe that spilled water into the sugar during the cargo unloading process by contractors.
Failure to stop production after testing
Samples of sugar were collected between Sept. 15 and 24 for testing but New Zealand Sugar Company followed its normal process of producing sugar for distribution and sale.
“The test result on Oct. 7 showed high readings of lead contamination, but rather than take immediate action and stop production and distribution, they instead sought more testing which confirmed the same result,” said Arbuckle.
“Some of this product was sold between October and early November. We were not informed of the lead contamination until Nov. 3, which is unacceptable. New Zealand Sugar Company’s lack of definitive action resulted in a consumer level recall of sugar products on Nov. 4 – around six weeks after the contaminated product arrived in New Zealand. Although the short-term exposure to increased lead levels through these sugar products would not have endangered people’s health – we cannot afford to take a chance on public health.”
Recent outbreaks
Meanwhile, the Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR) has detailed a number of outbreaks in December 2024.
Histamine (scombroid) fish poisoning was reported in the Southern District involving three cases in the same family who consumed wild caught kahawai. A sample of the fish was sent for testing.
Three gastroenteritis outbreaks associated with work functions catered by the same company were reported from Waikato District. Norovirus was identified from fecal specimens in one outbreak. They were attributed to an infected food handler.
An outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium occurred in Auckland involving 15 patients who attended a church sports tournament. Eleven people were hospitalized. The cause was food prepared too far in advance and improper storage.
There were seven Listeria infections, including three pregnancy-associated cases compared with none for the same month in 2023. Patients ranged from 20 months to 53 years old. All seven people were hospitalized and one death was recorded. The serotype was identified for six cases, with three due to O1/2 and the other three serotype O4.
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