OIA25-0237
4 June 2025
Greg Bongard
[FYI request #30611 email]
Dear Greg Bongard,
Thank you for your email of 3 April 2025 requesting information relating to the recall and
disposal of contaminated sugar. Your request has been considered under the Official
Information Act 1982 (OIA).
Food Compliance Services within New Zealand Food Safety (NZFS) are responsible for
triaging food safety complaints. If a possible breach of the Food Act 2014 is identified an
investigation is undertaken by a Food Compliance Officer warranted under the Food Act
2014. The investigation will include working with the food business to understand what went
wrong and implementing corrective actions to reduce the likelihood of it re-occurring.
During an investigation under the Food Act 2014, enforcement action may be considered.
NZFS’s approach to compliance follows the VADE model. VADE is based on a graduated
approach to compliance. Further information on this can be found here:
https://www.mpi.govt.nz/food-business/running-a-food-business/enforcement-food-act-2014/. If a food safety issue is identified with a product that is in the food chain, a food recall may be
considered depending on the risk. A food recall removes unsafe food from the supply chain
and can inform consumers of any risk. Further information on food recalls can be found here:
https://www.mpi.govt.nz/food-business/food-recalls/ Corrective actions are monitored to ensure they are effective. A Food Compliance Officer
may use powers and tools under the Food Act 2014 to ensure compliance with the Act. At
the completion of an investigation enforcement action is considered. Further information on
enforcement can be found here:
https://www.mpi.govt.nz/food-business/running-a-food-
business/enforcement-food-act-2014/ New Zealand Sugar Company, trading as Chelsea Sugar, was successfully prosecuted by
NZFS and fined $149,500 for manufacturing, distributing and selling sugar products
contaminated with lead.
The company was sentenced on two charges it pleaded guilty to in May 2024, including
breaching its National Programme (NP) – designed to manage any food risk to consumers –
along with negligently endangering, harming, creating, or increasing risk to consumers by
distributing its product.
New Zealand Food Safety
Food Risk Management
Charles Fergusson Building, 38–42 Bowen Street
PO Box 2526
Wel ington 6140, New Zealand
foodsafety.govt.nz
You requested the following:
My request is regarding NZ Sugar Company’s contamination of sugar with lead
recall.
I want all information related to the recall specifically information related to disposal
of the contaminated product
Food Compliance Services worked with New Zealand Sugar Company on a disposition
proposal. Disposition proposals are a usual practice to ensure compliance with the Food Act
2014.
The disposition proposal was reviewed by specialists in NZFS, including toxicologists to
ensure any proposal would appropriately mitigate the risk. New Zealand Sugar Company
then carried out the disposition by refining the raw cane sugar, in a separate production
batch, into white sugar and molasses.
The refined products were tested repeatedly and found to be food safe under section 14 of
the Food Act 2014. These test results were provided to NZFS as part of the agreement of the
disposition plan. The white sugar was processed for usual distribution and the molasses was
sent to an animal feed manufacturer and blended into cattle feed.
Information on the food recall relating to New Zealand Sugar Company is publicly available
here:
•
https://www.mpi.govt.nz/food-safety-home/food-recalls-and-complaints/recalled-food-
products/various-brands-of-raw-sugar/
•
https://www.mpi.govt.nz/news/media-releases/raw-sugar-recalled-due-to-lead-
concerns
Should you have any concerns with this response, I would encourage you to raise these with
the Ministry for Primary Industries at
[email address]. Alternatively, you
are advised of your right to also raise any concerns with the Office of the Ombudsman.
Contact details are: Office of the Ombudsman, PO Box 10152, Wellington 6143 or at
[email address]. Yours sincerely,
Jenny Bishop
Director Food Risk Management
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