Japanese crops can be safe to eat despite radiation from nuclear plant, scientists say
http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-fukushima-crops-safety...
"
Nakanishi's research team has also been studying wheat crops near the nuclear plant. The scientists have discovered that for the most part, the radioactive particles have accumulated on the surface of wheat plants. Plants whose leaves were open at the time of the disaster collected up to 1 million becquerels of radioactive cesium per kilogram – far above the 500 Bq/kg that is considered safe for people to eat. However, plants whose leaves opened after the worst of the radioactive emissions were found to have just 300 to 500 Bq/kg."
Ever-things fine nothing to fear move along and enjoy your safe artificial radiation in your food .statements like for the most part trouble me what's the other part indicate?
5 grams spinach per year
For the record, the initial contamination of the spinach supply in iodine 131, a young child would exceed the maximal annual dose admissible, when consuming only 5 grams of these foods.
http://www.criirad.org/actualites/dossier2011/japon_bis/sommaire.html
CRIIRAD- 471, Av. Victor Hugo, 26000 Valence - France- + 33 (0)4 75 41 82 50 + 33 (0)4 75 81 26 48 http://www.criirad.org – Email : contact@criirad.org July 7, 2011 Communiqué
Consequences of the Fukushima Daiichi Accident in Japan: A substantial and long-lasting contamination
The inhabitants of Fukushima City have been subjected to a very severe internal contamination, first, by inhaling contaminated air and mostly by ingesting foods contaminated by the deposits of radioactive substances. The Japanese authorities adopted consumption restrictions within the FUKUSHIMA prefecture only on March 21st and 23rd (according to food types). Populations therefore consumed, for a period of over a week, extremely contaminated foods without any restriction notice and with no information. They may have therefore received effective doses of several dozens milliSieverts (and even more) and doses to the thyroid gland exceeding the Sievert.
For the record, the initial contamination of the spinach supply in iodine 131, at 100 km south of the nuclear plant was such that when consuming 200 grams, a young child would exceed the maximal annual dose admissible of 1 milliSievert; at 40 kilometers northwest, the plants were so contaminated that the annual limit would be reached when consuming only 5 grams (~ 0.17 ounce or 1 teaspoon) of these foods. It is essential that the exposed populations obtain reliable assessments on the dose levels they have been receiving and it is of utmost importance to strive to control further exposure in the future.
The fallout affects a very vast territory, well beyond the forbidden area of 20 km and far beyond the Fukushima Prefecture. Depending on weather conditions, contaminated air masses swept over hundreds of kilometers and precipitations (rain and snow) percolated radioactive particles down on the ground. Cesium 134 and 137 deposits are the cause of a lasting contamination. This has been confirmed by the soil samples and the dose rate measurements conducted1 by the CRIIRAD
The Plan
;(
Let’s see if we have all this straight.
Farmers COULD spend the money (tractor fuel) to harvest the crops just don’t touch it or breath any of the chaff. Then dispose of all the Fukushima grain and livestock in dry-cask-storage (like spent nuclear fuel). Then CAREFULLY scrape off the top 2” of (fertile) topsoil and haul in lead-lined tractor-trailor rigs; to a nuclear waste dump (bulldozer erosion). Then sow next year’s crop on the infertile subsoil and HOPE, things are better next year.
Oh and forward all the invoices for payment by TEPCO, GE, Toshiba, Hitachi, Siemens, Areva et al.
Got it!
http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-fukushima-crops-safety...
The scientists have discovered that for the most part, the radioactive particles have accumulated on the surface of wheat plants. Plants whose leaves were open at the time of the disaster collected up to 1 million becquerels of radioactive cesium per kilogram – far above the 500 Bq/kg that is considered safe for people to eat.
"It's harvest time now and farmers are wondering what to do," Nakanishi told Nature News. "They can throw the current harvest away. But it is OK to plant again."
Nature News reported Tuesday, researchers who have been monitoring the soil have found that the Fukushima radiation is still within the top 2 inches of soil, according to Tomoko Nakanishi, a plant radiophysiologist at the University of Tokyo. The rain hasn’t washed that fallout away, and it hasn’t seeped into the groundwater, Nakanishi tells Nature News. If scooped up soon, the remaining soil is almost certainly safe for agricultural use.
Try to Trace?
:(
The government will do its best to trace the whereabouts of the cesium contaminated meat 97,000 Bq/kg.
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/15_20.html
Tests conducted on the hay revealed that it contained up to 97,000 becquerels of cesium per kilogram -- 73 times the government-set safety limit. The farmer said he has already shipped 42 heads of cattle that ate the hay to meat-processing plants in Tokyo, Yokohama, Chiba and Sendai.
Asakawa Town is located about 60 kilometers away from the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant. It is outside the government-designated evacuation zones. The cattle farmer told reporters that he never imagined the hay would be contaminated because it came from far away from the damaged nuclear plant.
Japanese health minister Ritsuo Hosokawa has said he is considering a plan to expand radiation tests on cattle to include animals raised outside the evacuation zones in Fukushima Prefecture. Hosokawa also said the government will do its best to trace the whereabouts of the meat from the 42 cows.
:( Using 500 Bq/kg as a
:(
Using 500 Bq/kg as a guideline, the wheat plants are 2,000 TIMES over the dietary limit or 200,000%.
Now feed this to livestock for bioconcentration and abracadabro, Fukushima has developed self cooking beef that glows in the dark.
Plus meat processing costs should be very low, considering the cowhide will automatically slough onto the floor.
It is, doubtless a great comfort to Japanese consumers, that their government is ATTEMPTING to locate the 'HOT' beef and remove it from the store shelves.
(No subject)
Meat limit cesium 137
Whatt I looks like the chart shows a 1200 bq ,kg for us meat limits la times got it wrong or it has changed?
I think the LA times story
I think the LA times story is referencing the 500bq/kg limit for Japan (same as on the chart for Japan). Why the US limit is so much higher I have no idea? Probably more lobbying and bribes from industry here if I had to guess.
Or this chart is a un
Or this chart is a un guidelines.
http://search.japantimes.co.j
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20110626x3.html
Questions and answers about radiation and food
How much radioactive material is permitted in foods?
The World Health Organization has established limits that serve as guidelines for governments. But there are no hard and fast rules in the United States, said George H. Pauli, a retired food safety official who spent 29 years at the FDA.
"You don't want people to slide up to the limit," he said. "It's treated on a case-by-case basis when there's a problem."
Radioactive material in food is measured in becquerels, or Bq. The limit for iodine-131 is 55 Bq per kilogram for infant food and 300 Bq per kilogram for other foods regulated by the FDA. For meat and poultry, which are regulated by the Department of Agriculture, the limit is 55 Bq per kilogram. The limit for cesium-134 and cesium-137 for all foods is 370 Bq per kilogram.
In Japan, some milk was reported to contain 1,510 Bq of iodine-131 per kilogram.
How does the FDA protect U.S. residents from radioactive food?
The FDA screens all imported food at U.S. borders, and the agency recently announced that screening for radiation contamination will be stepped up. The agency's food tracking system has been programmed to automatically flag all shipments of FDA-regulated products from Japan. The FDA is also working with the Japanese government to ensure imported food remains safe.
At this time, Japan isn't exporting any food products from Fukushima prefecture. Foods from Japan make up less than 4% of products imported to the United States, and only a fraction of those are dairy products.
The FDA probably won't monitor U.S. crops for contamination by radioactive particles that may have drifted across the Pacific Ocean because the risk is too small, Pauli said.
What if there were a nuclear accident here?
The FDA would advise state and local authorities, who would take the lead on removing contaminated products from the food supply. Generally speaking, officials would strive for zero contamination but would balance the risks of radioactivity against the desire to avoid food shortages. "Sometimes a tiny risk of radiation is better than the risk of starvation," Pauli said.
http://articles.latimes.com/2011/mar/21/health/la-he-food-radiation-qa-2...
Us meat have a 55 limit and Japan has a 500 bq wow wow if u live in Japan be carful what u eat.
Geez, the USA has the
Geez, the USA has the highest limits for cesium 134 and 137? That is absolutely frightening! Makes me a believer in the depopulation theory. Can anyone else speculate any other reason our limits here in the US would be so high?
Cesium is good for the USA?
Cesium is good for the USA?
GE brings good things
:(
Always remember that:
"GE brings great things to life."
In this instance, General Electric brings us the ...
Hottest food on earth
:(
The rest of the story milk can be chelated
How does food become tainted by radiation?
Plants can become poisoned when radioactive material enters the soil and is taken up by root systems. Radioactive particles in the air can also settle on food while it is growing.
Photos: Japan grapples with crisis
Milk and meat can become contaminated when animals eat grass and other plants that are radioactive. Radioactivity cannot contaminate food that is packaged or sealed, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Does radioactive food look different?
No, it will not appear spoiled, the FDA says.
Why is it dangerous?
The radioactive substances are absorbed through the gut, and then enter the bloodstream and travel to various tissues. Iodine-131 is most likely to migrate to the thyroid gland, where it can increase the risk of thyroid cancer. Other types of radioactive materials, such as cesium, tend to migrate to bones and be stored there, said Dr. Daniel Zurosky, director of radiation safety at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine.
How severe is the risk?
It depends on the amount and type of radioactive substances. For instance, cesium is more dangerous than iodine because it takes longer to decay.
Absorbing radioactivity from food could increase the risk of certain cancers later in life. Children are more vulnerable than adults because they are still growing and absorb more contamination, pound for pound, compared with adults.
Can you still eat the food?
Plants that have only surface contamination can be washed and eaten. Radioactive material that entered through the root system cannot be removed. It's prudent to discard any questionable food and avoid eating produce, meat, milk, fish and mushrooms from contaminated areas.
Radioactivity can be removed from milk through a chelating process, said Roger A. Clemens, associate director of the regulatory science program at the USC School of Pharmacy. That would be an option for the Japanese government to consider.
What about water?
People may have to use bottled water to avoid contaminated tap water, Zurosky said. Radioactive water can be cleaned by filtering, but it would be an enormous task to meet the demands of an urban area.
Can crops be protected?
It is possible to cover vegetables, fruit and animal feed with plastic sheets or tarpaulins, according to the FDA. Livestock can be moved into barns.
http://articles.latimes.com/2011/mar/21/health/la-he-food-radiation-qa-2...