South Korean consumers are worried over the safety of Japanese food imports following a radiation leak at a nuclear power plant damaged by last week’s earthquake in Japan, reports the Yonhap news agency, quoting industry sources on Tuesday.
Officials at local retailers said customers have started inquiring about the safety of farm and fisheries goods imported from Japan after radiation leaked from three reactors at the Fukushima power plant northeast of Tokyo.
Local retail outlets and department stores sell various fisheries products, such as saury and hairtails, caught in Japanese waters, while some fresh vegetables and processed foods are also imported from Japan.
There has been escalating concern because radioactive materials could contaminate plants, enter the food chain and eventually be consumed by humans.
Fears were further fueled after media reports showed the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) checking for possible radioactive contamination in Japanese food.
However, local experts have said that at present, the radiation leaked into the environment is too small to cause people to get sick by consuming vegetables and other foods.
“The leaks are being monitored around the clock, but because they are dispersed by the air and vast ocean, actual radiation levels that can be concentrated in plants and animals are small,” said Kim Eun-hee, a radiation engineering professor at Seoul National University.
She said that even if fish are exposed to radiation, living organisms can naturally excrete harmful materials.
Other experts said the current levels of radiation pose few risks, but a full-fledged meltdown of the reactors and the failure of containment shields could result in serious contamination that will require careful screening by quarantine authorities and importers.
– BERNAMA
Radiation Leak, Safety Of Japanese Food
0 ulasan:
Catat Ulasan