Brown sugar shortage leaves bitter taste for New Zealand’s home bakers

Lead contamination scare and global supply chain disruption add up to recipe for Christmas disappointment, with dried fruit also in short supply

A mass recall of brown sugar in New Zealand, prompted by fears of lead contamination, has left home bakers scrambling for alternatives in the lead up to the festive season, while global supply chain disruptions have caused gaps on the supermarket shelves.

The country's only sugar refinery, NZ Sugar Limited, was forced to make four recalls of its sugar products after low levels of lead were detected in some of its batches. Food Safety New Zealand is investigating the handling of the recall, after three incidents where recalled products ended up back on supermarket shelves.