MPI: Listeria-contaminated Australian rockmelons not imported here

MPI says rockmelons have not been imported from Australia. Photo / 123RF

The Ministry for Primary Industries is assuring New Zealanders that no contaminated rockmelons have been imported from Australia.

Australian authorities on Sunday said they were checking whether rockmelons had been exported from a farm where fruit contaminated with listeria has been found to have killed three people and caused illness in 12 others.

"None of the affected products were imported to NZ," a ministry spokeswoman confirmed on Monday morning.

Australian rockmelons are exported to New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates and Brunei and have an export value of about $20 million per year.

The New South Wales Food Authority began investigating the listeria outbreak on February 19.

Listeriosis can result in serious sickness or even death in those people with a weakened immune system.