New Zealand food safety agency hid pesticide health risk in silverbeet despite public assurances
Internal documents reveal that New Zealand Food Safety identified a health risk from methamidophos on silverbeet, yet its public reports claimed no food safety issues.
New Zealand Food Safety’s annual assessment detected methamidophos on a grower's silverbeet at 360 times the maximum residue limit, a pesticide banned in the country since 2024 and not authorised for that crop. The agency’s internal risk assessment concluded that the residue exceeded the acute reference dose for both adults and children, indicating a possible health risk for a child weighing 23 kg. Despite this, NZFS’s public statements for 2022-23 claimed no food safety concerns.
Greenpeace secured the internal report via an Official Information Act request, noting that similar pesticide breaches in previous years were also downplayed. Deputy director-general Vincent Arbuckle defended the agency’s stance, citing a one-off exposure and mitigation measures such as washing and cooking. Critics argue the placement of NZFS within the Ministry of Primary Industries creates a conflict of interest that may encourage under-reporting.
Why it matters
Undisclosed pesticide risks could endanger consumers, especially children, and undermine trust in food safety oversight.
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