Authority defends A1 milk

Milk - either A1 or the new A2 variety - is a safe and healthy drink, health officials say.

Promoters of the new A2 milk have been expounding the claimed health benefits of their product compared with traditional A1 milk.

The New Zealand Food Safety Authority and the Ministry of Health yesterday issued a statement saying milk was safe and should still be part of a balanced diet.

This year two Auckland researchers found a correlation between the amount of A1 beta-casein and milk protein consumption and rates of coronary heart disease and childhood type-1 diabetes.

Bob Boyd, principal adviser in public health medicine at the food authority, said the study was inconclusive and insufficient reason for the public to stop drinking milk or eating milk products.

The authority has called in an independent expert to review research on A1 and A2 milk.

It is also investigating issues surrounding the labelling and advertising of A2 milk products.

- NZPA