Radiation in food 'more serious than thought'
Source: Agencies |
March 22, 2011, Tuesday
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RADIATION detected in food following Japan's nuclear plant disaster is more serious than previously thought, the World Health Organisation said yesterday.
Concern is mounting that radioactive particles released into the atmosphere have contaminated food and water supplies.
"Quite clearly it's a serious situation," said Peter Cordingley, Manila-based spokesman for the WHO's regional office for the Western Pacific. "It's a lot more serious than anybody thought in the early days when we thought that this kind of problem can be limited to 20 to 30 kilometers."
He added: "It's safe to suppose that some contaminated produce got out of the contamination zone."
However, he said there was no evidence of contaminated food from Fukushima reaching other countries.
Fukushima is the world's worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl, but signs are that it is far less severe than the Ukrainian disaster.
"The few measurements of radiation reported in food so far are much lower than around Chernobyl in 1986, but the full picture is still emerging," said Malcolm Crick, secretary of the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation.
Japan's health ministry has urged some residents near the nuclear plant to stop drinking tap water after high levels of radioactive iodine were detected.
Cases of contaminated vegetables and milk have already stoked anxiety despite assurances from officials that the levels are not dangerous.
The government has prohibited the sale of spinach from all four prefectures near the nuclear plant and also banned sales of raw milk from Fukushima Prefecture.
There were no major reports of contaminated food in Tokyo. However, city officials said higher-than-standard levels of iodine were found in an edible form of chrysanthemum.
Concern is mounting that radioactive particles released into the atmosphere have contaminated food and water supplies.
"Quite clearly it's a serious situation," said Peter Cordingley, Manila-based spokesman for the WHO's regional office for the Western Pacific. "It's a lot more serious than anybody thought in the early days when we thought that this kind of problem can be limited to 20 to 30 kilometers."
He added: "It's safe to suppose that some contaminated produce got out of the contamination zone."
However, he said there was no evidence of contaminated food from Fukushima reaching other countries.
Fukushima is the world's worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl, but signs are that it is far less severe than the Ukrainian disaster.
"The few measurements of radiation reported in food so far are much lower than around Chernobyl in 1986, but the full picture is still emerging," said Malcolm Crick, secretary of the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation.
Japan's health ministry has urged some residents near the nuclear plant to stop drinking tap water after high levels of radioactive iodine were detected.
Cases of contaminated vegetables and milk have already stoked anxiety despite assurances from officials that the levels are not dangerous.
The government has prohibited the sale of spinach from all four prefectures near the nuclear plant and also banned sales of raw milk from Fukushima Prefecture.
There were no major reports of contaminated food in Tokyo. However, city officials said higher-than-standard levels of iodine were found in an edible form of chrysanthemum.
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