FONTERRA remains 100 per cent confident about the quality of its products despite media reports linking New Zealand to a Chinese milk contamination scandal.
In a statement on its website Fonterra said it supplies milk powder to Synutra International, the Chinese infant formula company under investigation about claims its milk powder contains hormones, but the New Zealand dairy giant said it understands Synutra sources some milk locally and imports whey powder from Europe.
It went on to say: ``In New Zealand there are strict legislative controls on the use of Hormonal Growth Promotants (HGPs) they are not allowed to be used on milking cows.
``The strict controls mean that it is not necessary for New Zealand milk or milk products to be routinely tested.''
Media reports from New Zealand said parents and doctors in Hubei voiced fears that milk powder produced by Synutra International had caused at least three infant girls to develop prematurely.
According to reports Synutra's public relations manager Zhang Yingjiu told media yesterday the questionable milk powder was all imported from New Zealand, and had been approved by China's customs before entering the mainland market.
Fonterra was implicated in another milk powder scandal in China two years ago involving melamine contamination that resulted in six infant deaths and infected about 300,000 more.
