Handling of this year's Fonterra whey powder contamination scare served to raise Chinese confidence in New Zealand as a safe food exporter, rather than damaging it, an expert says.

The revelation emerged out of this week's Global Food Safety Forum in Dunedin. The Fonterra food safety scare, where testing showed the possibility of a deadly botulism germ in some of the company's whey protein concentrate, was among the main topics of conversation of the gathering.

Keynote speaker of the forum Xiaoming Huang, professor of International Relations at Victoria University in Wellington, told delegates China was dismayed at the New Zealand response to the scare.

When the story broke in New Zealand the first question being asked was how the contamination would affect New Zealand's image in the Chinese market, Huang told the forum.

"I say probably not to the level we feared."

Huang said dynamics in this country turned the scandal into a huge issue both in Government and across New Zealand society in general.

He believed similar circumstances in another country, for example in China, may not have initiated the same level of reaction.

However, the Chinese have taken note of the way New Zealand handled the threat, and it has served to cement New Zealand's reputation as a producer of safe food products, Huang indicated.

"The Chinese were saying, 'look at how NZ handled this issue'."

"And the response from China was, 'This is actually saying something about the level and the standards that New Zealand companies and the government take - a high level'.

"I think we took a positive approach. International product in terms of food is a huge thing. New Zealand products, in particular, always have a good reputation."

Food safety would remain an important part of the developing economic relationship between China and New Zealand.

The Fonterra food safety "accident" had enriched both countries' experience and knowledge on the subject, Huang said.

"In the case of this year, the response from NZ - how the Government handled that and how the company handled that - we all learn from these things."

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy also touched on the Fonterra scare when he opened the three-day forum on Wednesday.

Government was pleased the presence of clostridium botulinium bacteria in the Fonterra product was eventually discounted, he said.

But the incident highlighted importance of world class food safety systems and the trust of consumers and regulators. Government was doubling its focus on food safety systems, Guy said.

He outlined Fonterra moves to make changes after its own investigation. Conclusions of two Government inquiries would be out next month.

The first-time New Zealand hosting of three-day forum , initiated by Dunedin-based food integrity consultant Dr Helen Darling, wraps up today.

Dr Darling said key to the forum was demonstrating to Chinese and American delegates Kiwi food safety procedures at first-hand.

"This forum is where dialogue between both ends of the supply chain can take place to improve transparency and integrity," she said.

"In turn New Zealand producers must understand what the Chinese, in particular, requires of them."