KEY POINTS:
The Green Party is calling for an urgent overhaul of the Food Safety Authority (FSA) following claims it misled the public over the safety of milk.
The FSA has been accused by scientist Professor Keith Woodford of pre-determining the outcome of an investigation into the safety of a type of milk called A1.
The A1 milk, which comes from cows with the A1 gene, contains a protein which has been linked to a range of serious illnesses including heart disease, diabetes and schizophrenia.
In New Zealand most milk bought off the shelf is a combination of A1 and A2. A2 alone is considered by some to be a safe alternative.
Dr Woodford has accused the FSA of deliberately dismissing the risk of A1 milk to protect New Zealand's lucrative dairy exports.
The claims have been rejected by the FSA, which has described Dr Woodford's claims as error-ridden.
Green Party MP Sue Kedgley, who received a report from Dr Woodford, said it raised some very serious questions about the conduct of the FSA.
Dr Woodford, who has written a controversial book on the A1-A2 debate called Devil in the Milk, claims he has evidence that the FSA twisted a scientific opinion provided to it to make out concerns about A1 were a non-issue.
The opinion author, Professor Boyd Swinburn, said he had recommended that the uncertainty over A1 milk was conveyed by the agency "and I have to say I don't think that that recommendation was really taken up very well by FSA".
Ms Kedgley said she had long-held concerns about how the FSA balanced its role of keeping the public safe and protecting market access for food products.
"It's almost like they see any risk that is raised to public health or safety as somehow a threat to our exports, and that seems to be an issue here," Ms Kedgley said.
"We can't have a credible FSA with this conflicting mandate."
Until there was an overhaul, the FSA would continue to "always put the interests of exports ahead of consumer safety," she said. FSA director of joint food standards, Carole Inkster said there was no conflict.
"Unsafe food would have no access to any markets.
"One of our roles is to provide assurance to the governments of importing countries about the safety of New Zealand food exports.
"The only concern that we have is that the claims being made by Keith Woodford could lead some people to decide to avoid milk altogether."
A spokesman for Food Safety Minister Annette King said she had received a report from Dr Woodford and had also requested a report on the issue from the FSA.
She would read the reports over the next few days and take advice from officials.
"She'll then decide whether she needs to go any further or whatever," the spokesman said.
