New Zealand envoy assures China of food standards

New Zealand's foreign minister has assured Chinese leaders of his country's commitment to food quality standards following safety scares over milk exports.

Murray McCully said his government will watch closely as Fonterra, New Zealand's biggest dairy exporter, tries to rebuild Chinese consumer confidence.

Fonterra announced this month that hundreds of tons of infant formula could be tainted with bacteria that can cause botulism.

In a separate incident, another New Zealand supplier said this week it found high levels of nitrate in lactoferrin powder shipped to China.

McCully met with China's foreign minister and another Cabinet official and said he made clear his government's "unambiguous commitment to meeting quality standards in the export of food.