The U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) would like to provide information and clarification about reports regarding trace levels of dicyandiamide (DCD) in some New Zealand dairy products.

To date no regulatory authority has declared that the very low levels of DCD detected in New Zealand as a threat to public health. The New Zealand government has reassured consumers that detections of miniscule traces of DCD residues pose no food safety risk (http://www.mpi.govt.nz/news-resources/news/new-zealand-government-assures-  safety). And a safety assessment by the New Zealand government, based on similar studies conducted by the European Food Safety Authority and the Organization for Cooperation and Economic Development, concluded “that DCD was of very low toxicity and likely residues in foods posed no threat” to human health (http://www.mpi.govt.nz/Portals/0/Documents/news-resources/news/letter-of-  assurance.pdf). In addition, the incident does not appear to be due to adulteration. As well, no New Zealand dairy products have been withdrawn nor banned from the marketplace.

New Zealand is unique in that dairying in the country is pasture-based and DCD is applied directly onto pastures. According to the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries, direct spray application of DCD on pastures in New Zealand is an innovative way to reduce nitrate leaching to waterways and greenhouse gas emissions. By contrast, U.S. milk production is not based on pasture grazing and, according to the (U.S.) Fertilizer Institute, DCD is not used as a stand-alone chemical nor sprayed directly on pastures.

The New Zealand government is keeping the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other international regulatory bodies apprised, while also studying the issue from its own risk assessment perspective. USDEC remains in close contact with FDA and continues to gather information to more thoroughly understand the situation in New Zealand and potential impacts on dairy products elsewhere. As soon as we have more information, we will immediately provide it.

For more information, please contact Matt McKnight, USDEC senior vice president of market access, regulatory and industry affairs, (mmcknight@usdec.org).