#Radioactive Japan: 107.2 Bq/kg of Cesium from Pork from Koriyama City, First Pork to Exceed Safety Limit

Radioactive cesium exceeding the safety limit of 100 becquerels/kg was detected from one of 6 pigs shipped from a pig farm in Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture. The other 5 were also found with radioactive cesium, ranging from 11 Bq/kg to 78 Bq/kg.

First, from Yomiuri Shinbun (5/22/2012):

福島・郡山産の豚肉からセシウム…出荷自粛

Radioactive cesium from pork produced in Koriyama City, Fukushima, voluntary shipment halt

福島県郡山市は２２日、市内の養豚農家が出荷した豚１頭の肉から、国の規制値（１キロ・グラム当たり１００ベクレル）を超える１０７・２ベクレルの放射性セシウムが検出されたと発表した。

Koriyama City in Fukushima Prefecture announced on May 22 that the meat from one of the pigs shipped by a pig farmer in the city was found with 107.2 Bq/kg of radioactive cesium, exceeding the national safety limit (100 Bq/kg).

農水省によると、４月に導入された新規制値を超えるセシウムが豚から検出されるのは初めて。

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, it is the first case of cesium detection from pork that exceeded the new safety limit introduced in April.

同市によると、２１日に出荷された６頭を簡易検査したところ、そのうち１頭から５０ベクレル超を検出。再検査した結果、新規制値超の放射性セシウムを検出した。市は簡易検査で問題のなかった５頭の出荷自粛を農家に求め、すべて市場に出回っていない。

According to the city, the meat from 6 pigs that was shipped on May 21 was tested using the simplified method [NaI scintillation, most likely]. From the meat from one of the pigs, more than 50 Bq/kg of cesium was detected. After more detailed inspection [likely using germanium semiconductor detector], radioactive cesium exceeding the new safety limit was detected. The city has requested the voluntary halt of shipment of the meat from 5 pigs that passed the simplified test, so none of the meat is being sold in the market.

市は２２日に職員を派遣して農家にヒアリングを行ったが、原因究明には至っていない。今後、豚の餌である配合飼料などを検査して解明を急ぐ。

The city send an official to the pig farm on May 22 and interviewed, but the cause [for radioactive cesium in the meat] is not known yet. The city will test the formula feed and other feed for the pigs to try to identify the cause.

Koriyama City's press release on May 22, 2012 says the pork that was found with 107.2 Bq/kg of cesium will be destroyed, but the rest of the pork that tested lower than the safety limit (100 Bq/kg) is "supposed to be destroyed by the producer". That doesn't engender much confidence these days.

試料の種類	検査結果
	セシウム134	セシウム137	合計
豚肉1	19.1	21.7	40.8
豚肉2	21.0	27.7	48.7
豚肉3	検出せず（＜1.38）	11.2	11.2
豚肉4	41.8	65.4	107.2
豚肉5	20.2	37.3	57.5
豚肉6	26.9	50.6	77.5

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