Update on March 23: Associated Press coverage reports that Hong Kong officials are blocking some foods that typically come into the city from the area around the Fukushima nuclear plant. The foods include “milk, meat, vegetables and seafood harvested, processed or packed since March 11.” Reuters says the bans came after “authorities had found radioactivity levels in spinach and turnip samples up to 10 times above the safety limit.” Both agencies have quoted reports that Hong Kong’s drinking water is testing at least twice as high in radiation levels as is considered safe for infants.
Also, the anti-nuke Physicians for Social Responsibility warn against buying government assurances (from any government) that food-safety is not a worry. The group wants tighter controls on sales of food that may have been exposed to radiation.
March 20: Alarms have been going off about unsafe food from Japan, and new reports today (3/20) will ratchet up the worry index, despite assurances from both US and Japanese agencies that there is not cause for concern yet.
Even as miraculous rescues and promising repairs on reactors take place, “radiation in beans quells the joy,” as the the Los Angeles Times so cogently put it.
Radioactive sandwich photo from Funz.eu
Radioactive milk and spinach have been found, as have radioactive fava beans. Early this morning (3/20), AP reported:
“Ministry official Yoshifumi Kaji said Sunday that tests found excess amounts of radioactive elements on canola and chrysanthemum greens, in addition to spinach. He said the areas where the tainted produce was found included three prefectures that previously had not recorded such contamination.”
As of 9:15 a.m. this morning, the Food & Drug Administration website said exports from the affected region have been stopped, and “based on current information, there is no risk to the U.S. food supply. FDA is closely monitoring the situation in Japan and is working with the Japanese government and other U.S. agencies to continue to ensure that imported food remains safe.”
“Brand damage”–the sales of Japanese-specialty items–kobe beef and sushi, for example–are taking a hit and industry watchers say that will only get worse.
Stay tuned.
–Kimberly Marlowe Hartnett
