KEY POINTS:
An academic questioning the safety of milk has welcomed an independent review into the issue, but warns the correct questions have to be asked for it to have credibility.
The New Zealand Food Safety Authority announced yesterday that in light of continuing questions about the safety of milk carrying the A1 protein versus milk carrying the A2 protein, and of its integrity in the debate, it was commissioning a second review.
Professor Keith Woodford, Lincoln University's head of farm management and agribusiness, said yesterday that the review had to be managed outside the NZFSA, ask the correct questions, have broad terms of reference and be conducted by an independent reviewer.
"I am happy the review has been announced but I am slightly nervous to ensure the review does indeed ask the right questions, has the breadth and genuinely gets someone knowledgeable with the capacity to do the job and is independent."
Professor Woodford released a book last month which reviewed more than 100 scientific papers and linked milk carrying the A1 protein to heart disease, type 1 diabetes, autism and schizophrenia.
He followed that up this week, releasing evidence the NZFSA had covered up the results of the 2004 review, and embarked on a policy of "sustained misinformation" of the report.
They concluded that all milk was safe, something the reviewer did not say.
NZFSA acting chief executive Andrew McKenzie said he had ordered the review in light of continued allegations about the risk of milk consumption, questions about the NZFSA decision-making process and the NZFSA's exercising its food safety mandate.
He said the first part of the review would look at both the science relating to A1 and A2 milk and the second at the NZFSA's credibility following its response to those milk safety allegations and therefore to the safety of the New Zealand milk supply.
It would look at scientific opinion available for the 2004 review together with any new data since then.
The review could be conducted by one or two people, depending on their expertise, and he hoped could be completed by Christmas, but that depended on the availability of the reviewers.
Mr McKenzie said the NZFSA had not changed its opinion on the safety of drinking milk, saying it was nutritious and healthy and people should continue to drink it.
Otago Daily Times
