Q&A - Monitoring of radioactive substances in agricultural products　

The prefecture monitors all agriculture, forestry and marine products produced and harvested within Fukushima Prefecture purposed for distribution and sale.

In FY2017, we carried out targeting at grains, vegetables, fruit, livestock products, 519 items including marine product.

The Food Sanitation Act establishes the reference level for radioactive materials found in food including farm products where if one were to continue eating these products throughout one's life, the result of consuming products with radioactive materials are sufficiently small and at a safe enough level (1mSv a year or less) to not cause any health problems.

The reference level for radiocesium in "drinking water" "milk" "baby food" and "general food" are each set based on their consumption quantity.

Although the reference level set by the government targeting food including agricultural products was established to detect cesium, the main substance released from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, all nuclides with a longevity greater than half a year are also included in the reference level.

With consideration to contribution ratios, the reference level for radiocesium are decided beforehand with leeway so that additional radiation exposure does not exceed 1mSv a year even if other nuclides get into food such as farm products.

We had 10 (0.05% of the whole) standard value excess in FY2017.

FY2013: 419 cases (1.5% on the whole), FY2014: 113 cases (0.4% on the whole), FY2015: 18 cases (0.08% on the whole), FY2016: 6 cases (0.03% on the whole). Basically, those real numbers and ratios are on a downward trend.

Based on the Special Measures for Nuclear Disaster Act and the Food Sanitation Act, production centers (communities, and former municipalities. Regarding marine products, sea areas, swamps, and rivers) with items that exceeded the reference level for radioactive substances in food products are ordered to be placed under distribution restrictions by the government or a voluntary restriction is placed by the prefecture as a whole. Items falling under these production centers are never distributed.

National monitoring results from inspection results of radiological substances within food are available. (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare homepage)

The current reference level, established by the national government, is made to be at an adequate level where effects of continued consumption of radioactive material found in agricultural products are small and safe (1mSv a year or less).　

It has been said that there is not enough information on the dangers of exposure to low levels of radiation. However, low levels of radiation within 100 mSv are thought to be so small that the effects can not be verified scientifically.

In cases where monitoring results show that agricultural products containing radiocesium exceed the reference level, the prefecture will immediately request the municipality be placed under a voluntary distribution restraint.

Afterwards, additional inspections are performed on the applicable items within the production centers and to outlying areas with voluntary distribution restraints. The government (Nuclear Emergency Response Headquarters) will determine necessary distribution restrictions and assess the questioned area.

When lifting restrictions, for example in the case of vegetables, in one municipality three or more areas are subjected to radiocesium inspections and fixed inspections are conducted on every item.

Restrictions are lifted if within the most recent month inspection results are below the reference level and when predictions can be made stating results exceeding the reference level will not appear.

Distribution restrictions are instructions dependent on the national government (Nuclear Emergency Response Headquarters) and voluntarily refraining distribution restraints are requests dependent on the prefectural governor.

In such cases where monitoring results conducted by the prefecture illustrate agricultural products containing an exceeded level of radiocesium the prefecture immediately requests that the municipality producing these products be placed under voluntarily distribution restraints.

In production centers and outlying areas where restraints were called for, the national government (Nuclear Emergency Response Headquarters) confirms detection circumstances of concerned items and necessary distribution restrictions while also passing decisions on the questioned area.

Farm products that have requests to be refrained from consumption and/or distribution reflect monitoring results which are frequently updated.

We publish information on our home page about farm products in Fukushima prefecture that have restrictions/restraints on them.

Please refer to the link below concerning items/food products or production centers that have been requested to refrain from consumption or distribution.

• "Food from Fukushima Prefecture with requests to refrain from consumption or distribution" (the latest edition)[Japanese Only] [PDF file /289KB]

We do not recommend consumption of vegetables with distribution restrictions.

In addition, we also provide basic inspections to detect radioactive substances within vegetables wanted to be consumed personally. For details, please contact your municipality in Fukushima Prfecture.