Hold the Cesium, Please
:(
Nouveau Nippon Cooking Lessons - Please hold the cesium
Kunikazu Noguchi, lecturer at Nihon University, says that radiation, though invisible and odorless, can be treated and cleaned up like a stain, noting that by rinsing the food well before cooking, preferably with hot water, and/or boiling or stewing it, a large portion of radioactive elements can be removed.
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fs20110920a2.html
The good news is, cesium can be easily dissolved in water. So the best way to prepare vegetables and fruits is to rinse them well before cooking. If possible, cut vegetables into small pieces and soak them in water for a while.
More radiation in spinach and other leafy vegetables can be removed if they are boiled. As for lettuces, throw away the outer leaf and rinse the rest well. Data from Chernobyl shows that rinsing lettuce can remove up to half of the cesium-134 and two thirds of the cesium-137. Cucumbers can be pickled with vinegar, which cuts radiation by up to 94 percent. Peeling carrots and boiling them with salted hot water would also help reduce cesium levels.
HOT Water
TEPCO Press Release (Nov 05,2011)
http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/press/corp-com/release/11110507-e.html
Nuclide Analysis Results of Radioactive Materials in Seawater taken near Intake Canal of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (data collected on November 4)
At around 9:30 am on April 2, 2011, we detected water containing radiation
dose over 1,000 mSv/h in the pit* where power supply cables are stored
near the intake channel of Unit 2. Furthermore, there was a crack of about
20 cm length on the concrete lateral of the pit, from where the water in
the pit was flowing out to the ocean. At around 12:20 pm on April 2, we
reaffirmed the event at the scene.
We have implemented sampling of the water in the pit of Unit 2, together
with the seawater in front of the bar screen near the pit of Unit 2. These
samples were sent to Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Station for analyses.
At around 5:38 am on April 6, we observed stoppage of spilling of water
to the ocean from the crack on the concrete lateral of the pit.
Since April 5, we have been conducting sampling surveys of the water in
the pit of Unit 2 and the seawater in front of the bar screen near the pit.
Regarding the survey results of the detection of three nuclides (iodine
131, cesium 134, cesium 137), we report those as definite results, and for
the other nuclides, we will re-evaluate them.
On April 12, due to the installation of silt fences, we changed the
sampling points from the front of the bar screen of Unit 4 to the north
and the south of the inside of the water intake canal of Units 1 to 4.
Since April 17, we have been conducting an additional sampling survey
outside the silt fence in front of the bar screen of Unit 2, in order to
assess the effect of the installation of the silt fence.
On May 11, 2011, responding to out-flow leakage of contaminated water from
the intake canal of Unit 3, from May 12th, we additionally conducted the
sampling of the seawater inside and outside of the silt fence in front of
the bar screen near the pit of Unit 1, 3 and 4.
(Previously announced)
On November 4, 2011, we conducted sampling of the seawater near the intake
canal of Units 1 to 4 of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station and
analyzed the samples. As a result, some radioactive materials were
detected as described in the appendix.
We reported the above results to NISA as well as to the government of
Fukushima Prefecture today.
We will continuously conduct the same sampling surveys.
*Pit: vertical shaft made of concrete
Appendix1: Nuclide Analysis Results of Radioactive Materials in Seawater
Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station; the shallow draft quay,
Unit 1-4 screen, and the water intake canal of Units 1-4
(PDF 13.5KB)
http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/press/corp-com/release/betu11_e/images/111105e...
Appendix2: Radioactivity Density of Seawater (PDF 41.4KB)
http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/press/corp-com/release/betu11_e/images/111105e...
Hot Cow Chips
It appears that the Japan standard for cow manure is more stringent than the European/USA standard for human food.
That is a kinda crappy situation all arround.
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20111104p2a00m0na017000c.html
http://www.fda.gov/downloads/NewsEvents/PublicHealthFocus/UCM251056.pdf
FUKUSHIMA -- Two months after a government ban on beef was lifted, cattle farmers here are growing increasingly desperate as nearby vegetable farmers have halted production due to the ongoing nuclear disaster, leaving nowhere to take the accumulating manure that was previously used as fertilizer.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) has set the maximum allowable radiation levels for fertilizer at 400 becquerels per kilogram.
The area where Mizunoya raises his cattle is home to farms that raised broccoli, tomato and cucumber. Cattle farmers provided vegetable farmers with manure to be used as fertilizer, and in return, vegetable farmers provided cattle farmers with rice straw to be used as cow feed. Mizunoya had built such reciprocal relationships with 10 vegetable farms nearby, supplying them with 1,500 tons of fertilizer ever year, which was used on a total of 30 hectares of farmland every year in March and July.
The nuclear disaster triggered by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami interrupted that cycle, however.
Mizunoya has not fed any radiation-tainted rice straw to his cattle, and tests show that there are no problems with the fertilizer produced at his farm. He says, however, that there's been an emerging trend of crop farmers avoiding local fertilizer.
Bio-Accumulation
;)
The Japanese government radioactive monitoring of cow manure and hay; are well considered mechanisms to stop bioaccumulation in the food supply.
Cattle bioaccumulate cesium in their milk, meat, urine AND feces. Fecal concentration is INCREASED with the use of Prussian Blue. That means ... in other words ... that Prussian Blue is effective. (It works)
The Japan farmer barter system for hay and manure is normally a good thing. Manure is good for soil, even though chemical fertilizers deliver more targeted nutrients to the plants, quicker.
HOT SHIITAKE
:(
HOT SHIITAKE
HOTHOUSE shiitake mushrooms grown in Soma contain 850 becquerels of radioactive Cs/kg.
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20111030p2g00m0dm023000c.html
Radioactive cesium exceeding the designated limit has been detected in shiitake mushrooms grown in greenhouses at a farm in Soma, Fukushima Prefecture, the prefectural government said Saturday. The prefectural government has asked the city of Soma and dealers to stop shipment of the mushrooms, and a local agricultural cooperative has begun recalling them after they were found to contain 850 becquerels of cesium per kilogram, exceeding the 500-becquerel limit set by the state.
The farm has shipped 1,070 100-gram packages of shiitake mushrooms since Monday, and they are believed to have been sold at nine supermarkets in the prefecture from Tuesday.
(Mainichi Japan) October 30, 2011
Cs-137 ~ 30X TEPCO Report
…
Cesium-137 flow into sea 30 times greater than stated by TEPCO: report
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20111029p2g00m0dm016000c.html
The amount of radioactive cesium-137 that flowed into the Pacific was probably nearly 30 times the amount stated by TEPCO in May, according to a French research institute. The Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety said the amount of the isotope that flowed into the ocean from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant between March 21 and mid-July reached an estimated 27.1 quadrillion becquerels. A quadrillion is equivalent to 1,000 trillion.
Of the amount, 82 percent had flowed into the sea by April 8, according to the study, which noted that the amount released as a result of the disaster triggered by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami was unprecedented.
(Mainichi Japan) October 29, 2011
Consider baby food standards?
:(
The Food Safety Commission of the Cabinet Office will consider baby food standards on Halloween.
English: http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20111028p2a00m0na016000c.html
Japanese: http://mainichi.jp/life/food/archive/news/2011/10/20111028dde00104003500...
The government will tighten the provisional safety limit for annual internal radioactive cesium exposure through food intake from the current 5 millisieverts to 1 millisievert by around April 2012. The ministry's move comes after the Food Safety Commission of the Cabinet Office reported on Oct. 27 that over 100 millisieverts of lifetime internal exposure to radiation would affect human health. The ministry is further set to review food classification, which is currently divided into five groups, and consider introducing safety standards for baby food at its council meeting convening on Oct. 31.
In elaborating on the reasons for the tighter cesium limit, Komiyama cited a guideline set by the Codex Alimentarius Commission that limits cesium intake to no more than 1 millisievert a year, as well as the fact that cesium concentrations in most food items have dropped substantially in recent tests. The minister said the opinions of many experts were also taken into account.
(Mainichi Japan) October 28, 2011
Food < 500 Bq/kG?
:(
“children may be more vulnerable to radiation than adults”
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20111028p2g00m0dm054000c.html
Following the Food Safety Commission's conclusion, which updates an evaluation by its working group in July, the health ministry will convene an advisory panel meeting Monday to revise its provisional limits for radioactive substances in food set after the Fukushima nuclear crisis. The current provisional limits such as 500 becquerels of radioactive cesium for rice, vegetables, meat and fish per kilogram, and 200 becquerels for drinking water and milk are expected to be lowered with the commission's advice.
The commission also urged the government and the public to note that children may be more vulnerable to radiation than adults, indicating the possibility of more discussions on lowering allowable levels for children.
(Mainichi Japan) October 28, 2011
66 PBq Cs-137 - ZAMG
66 PBq published by ZAMG
Our total a posteriori emission is lower than the first estimate of 66 PBq published by the Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics (ZAMG 2011) on 22 March
considerably higher than the estimate of Chino et al. (2011) of 13 PBq
The upper panel of Fig. 5 shows the a priori and a posteriori emissions of 137Cs. The total a posteriori 137Cs emission is 35.8 PBq, 34% more than the first guess emission (Table 3) and about 42% of the estimated Chernobyl emission of 85 PBq (NEA, 2002). Our total a posteriori emission is lower than the first estimate of 66 PBq published by the Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics (2011) on 22 March, but considerably higher than the estimate of Chino et al. (2011) of 13 PBq. Both previous estimates were based on only few selected measurements. Our emission is in relatively good agreement with the Institut de Radioprotection et de Surete Nucleaire (2011) estimate of 30 PBq caesium (including isotopes other than 137Cs) for the period 12–22 March.
http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/11/28319/2011/acpd-11-28319-2011.pdf
Supplementary material related to this article is available online at:
http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/11/28319/2011/acpd-11-28319-2011-...
http://www.nature.com/news/2011/111025/full/478435a.html
http://www.nature.com/news/2011/111025/full/478435a/box/2.html
Hot Babies
Other Chernobyl fallout studies give folks with pregnant wives a reason to be more concerned about low fallout than people here are saying we should be:
http://www.nuc.berkeley.edu/node/2280#comment-830
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-9450.2010.00814.x/abst...
"Adolescents exposed to low-dose ionizing radiation in utero scored significantly lower in full-scale IQ than unexposed adolescents. The difference was restricted to verbal IQ and was not evident for nonverbal IQ. The effect was not observed in exposed adolescents who had passed the most sensitive gestational period prior to the accident and thus were exposed to the radiation from Chernobyl exclusively after gestational week 16. These participants performed as well as the controls. Although the results should be interpreted cautiously due to the study’s nonrandomized design, the data add new and important support to the hypothesis that the Chernobyl accident may have had a subtle effect on the cognitive functioning of those exposed to low-dose ionizing radiation in utero during the most sensitive gestational period."
and
http://nonuclear.se/files/ijerph-06-03105.pdf
"The fetal exposures to fallout from the Chernobyl accident in the combined exposed population of 2204055 children in Germany, Greece and the United Kingdom resulted in a 43% increase in infant leukemia, a disease associated with a gene mutation in utero. The specificity of the cohort defined it as one in which exposure to the radioactive fallout from the Chernobyl accident is the only possible cause of the increased infant leukemia incidence. Since the mean calculated weighted fetal dose to this population was 0.067mSv, this finding defined an error in the ICRP risk model for this kind of exposure and suggests that it is unsafe to predict risks from chronic exposure to internal radionuclides on the basis of external doses. Using the best data for external fetal exposures and leukemia, that of the Oxford Obstetric X-ray studies of Stewart et al. [18,19] the error in employing such an approach is upward of 160-fold."
Hot Earth
Hot Earth
It is noted that the Cesium-134 concentration in the Red Zone exceeds 3,000 Bq/M?2 and that the Cesium-137 similarly exceeds the red maximum value.
Thus the cumulative value, in much of the red area exceeds 6,000 Bq/M?.
It is also noted that the inner radius, near the Fukushima Daiichi Power Plant Campus is 'hatch-marked' rather than red, and indicated to be incomplete. Presumably that can be interpreted to be quite hot earth.
It would be appropriate at some point to provide public access to composite maps of the seabed radionuclide concentrations as well as the soil radionuclide concentrations.
Soil Cesium Concentrations
*
Map of Radioactive Cesium Concentration in Soil
http://radioactivity.mext.go.jp/en/1270/2011/08/1270_083014-2.pdf
Corrections to the Readings of Airborne Monitoring Surveys
(Soil Concentration Map) based on the Prepared Distribution Map of Radiation Doses, etc.
(Map of Radioactive Cesium Concentration in Soil) by MEXT(August 30, 2011)?PDF:2750KB?
Hot Fish!
*
Consumers remain frustrated over limited food contamination information.
http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/greenpeace-urges-toughe...
A recent survey discovered up to 88 becquerels per kilogram in 60 seafood samples bought at stores in eastern Japan operated by five major supermarket chains and found 34 of them with radioactive cesium-134 and cesium-137. The samples are well below the 500 becquerels per kilogram limit set by the authorities. The Japanese standard compares with a 150 becquerels per kilogram limit in Ukraine after the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, the group said.
There is no labeling that notifies consumers if the seafood had been screened. Japanese consumers remain frustrated over limited information about the exact level of food contamination, while the government has sought to calm public fears and overcome mistrust of official radiation surveys.
Rice and other food from Fukushima Prefecture
Hey, just a little thought here and some common sense. With all the burning of materials across Japan, it is important to note that eating any food from Japan is like playing Russian Roulette. Radio active ash can certainly contaminate any nearby field, or water source. So it is not just a certain prefecture we need to avoid.
The debris is being burned all across Japan, thus we need to careful of all food from Japan.
LOL!! Gotta love the
LOL!! Gotta love the emerging propaganda!
Family Radiation Protection
-
Kunikazu Noguchi's book, "Hosha no Osen kara Kazoku wo Mamoru Tabekata no Anzen Manyuaru" ("The Safety Manual for Protecting Your Family from Radiation Contamination"), was published by Seishun Shuppansha in July, in Japanese only, priced at ¥1,000.
Hot Meat
-
Well-grilled, salt-sprinkled beef poses less risk than anything cooked to a medium-rare or medium state, by cutting 28 percent of cesium, according to a Chernobyl-tied study. Boiling leg meat has been proved to reduce cesium by about 50 percent.
Make sure to drain off the hot water.
Hot Rice
-
Much has been said about the nutritiousness of brown rice, but when it comes to radiation, it is the bran layer beneath the husk that absorbs and accumulates cesium from soil.
That means white, polished rice, which has no bran layer, is a safer option — though it does contain fewer vitamins, minerals and fiber than brown rice. If you rinse white rice well before cooking, you can also remove radiation-emitting residue on the grain.
Thank you. Very
Thank you. Very interesting. I had a huge stockpile of brown rice in my freezer and just ran out. Considering this info, I think I'll stick to quinoa.
USA Rice
*
2011 is a good year to purchase USA rice, grown along the Gulf coast, Atlantic seaboard and inland. Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina grow, harvest, process and package lots of high quality rice.
The radionuclide counts should be VERY low, from these regions, for every imaginable rice variety.
Also, there is no reason to avoid Minnesota Wild Rice.
By contrast, Fukushima rice is 'hot as a $2 pistol'.
Great info! And to your
Great info!
And to your comment: "Fukushima rice is 'hot as a $2 pistol'." I burst out laughing! Thanks, I really needed that tonight.
Fukushima Hot Rice
:(
Fukushima rice contains 500 Becquerals/kg of Radioactive Cesium
And what else?
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/24_22.html
Radioactive cesium measuring just at the government-set safety limit has been detected in rice samples collected in an area in northeastern Fukushima Prefecture. Officials say 500 becquerels per kilogram of cesium was found in a test on pre-harvest rice from Nihonmatsu City on Friday.
Since the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in March, the central government has required that a 2-stage test for radiation be conducted before and after harvest. Pre-harvest tests are currently being carried out in nine prefectures in Tohoku and Kanto regions.
Sunday, September 25, 2011 09:05 +0900 (JST)
Food Far From Fukushima
:(
"Each time I go to a supermarket, I pause in front of the shelves, at a loss as to what to buy," a Tokyo woman, who called herself Yasuko Okayama, wrote in a letter to the JT published Sept. 8. "I choose food that comes from as far away from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant as possible.