#Radiation in Japan: Shiitake Mushrooms from 3 Locations in Fukushima Tested High on Radioactive Iodine, Cesium

From Yomiuri Shinbun (12:17AM JST 4/11/2011):

• Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare announced on April 10 that the radioactive materials were found in 3 samples out of 21 total from Fukushima Prefecture which exceeded the provisional limit.

• The 3 samples that exceeded the limit were harvested on April 8 in Date City, Shinchi-machi, and Iitate-mura.

• From shiitake from Iitate-mura, radioactive cesium was detected at 13,000 becquerels/kilogram which is 26 times the provisional safety limit; radioactive iodine was 12,000 becquerels/kilogram, which was 6 times the provisional safety limit. Shiitake from Date City had 1,460 becquerels/kilogram cesium [almost 3 times the limit], and Shiitake from Shinchi-machi had 550 becquerels/kilogram cesium [50 becquerels/kilo above the limit].

The provisional safety limit for radioactive cesium in foods (except water and dairy products) is 500 becquerels/kilogram.
The provisional safety limit for radioactive iodine (except water and dairy products) is 2,000 becquerels/kilogram.

Meanwhile, media campaigns using the local and national celebrities are on-going to appeal the safety of vegetables, fruits, milk, fish from Fukushima, Miyagi, Ibaragi, and other prefectures more affected by the radioactive contamination from the Fukushima I Nuke Plant.

The argument is "Farmers are suffering unnecessarily by 風評(pronounced hooh-hyoh), which literally means "wind rumor"- meaning "heard it in the wind" baseless rumor", and "We all have to support the farmers by eating their vegetables and fruits which are quite safe". (And of course they demonstrate by eating them and dare others to do the same.)

(Go ahead and feed the cukes to your kids and grandkids.)

(Don't they look like they are ready to spit it out as soon as the camera is turned off?)

Tweet