KEY POINTS:
Imported raw milk cheese such as Roquefort could cause life-threatening illness in "vulnerable groups", the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) warned today.
NZFSA principal advisor of public health Donald Campbell said while the cheese was no more risky than a number of other foods, such as raw shellfish, it should be avoided by expectant mothers and the elderly.
"Raw milk cheeses are particularly dangerous for at-risk people because this type of product is more likely to contain microbiological hazards that can cause severe, even life-threatening illness," Dr Campbell said.
"In countries where raw milk cheeses have been part of the culture, people know they should not eat them if they were pregnant, or frail in any way."
Roquefort cheese has been available for import directly from France for nine months.
- NZPA
