Radiation in Food from Japan.

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Japanese sweet potato imports radiation contaminated: Health Ministry
TNA 2011-03-28

BANGKOK, March 29 -- Thailand's Ministry of Public Health on Monday found radioactive contamination in sweet potatoes imported from Japan and ordered the destruction of the products although they contained only low levels of radiation contamination.

Health Minister Jurin Laksanavisit said the ministry's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) examined 94 samples of Japanese food imports since March 16 through Sunday, ranging from fresh fish, seafood, fruit, seaweed and sweet potato.

The sweet potato was contaminated with 15.25 becquerel per kilogram (Bq/kg) of radiation, a number in which still lower than the acceptable standard at 100 (Bq/kg), said Mr Jurin.

The minister however said the FDA has suspended the sales of the contaminated produce as a precautionary measure despite the low radiation contamination.

FDA secretary-general Pipat Yingseri said 75 kilos of contaminated sweet potato was imported from Ibaraki prefecture last Wednesday. The FDA confiscated the products Friday after test results were issued.

He said the FDA will re-examine the contaminated sweet potato to determine whether the radiation level will fall or not and that the agency will also discuss with the Office of Atoms for Peace regarding the destruction of the contaminated imports.

The health minister said that checkpoints have been set up at Thailand's international airports to screen arriving passengers from Japan who may have been exposed to radiation. So far 334 out of 1,200 Thais departing Japan have sought advice on their health at Thailand's arrival checkpoints.

All were found to be in good condition and have not exposed to any radiation, said Mr Jurin. Outgoing passengers, both Thai and foreigners, also stopped at the checkpoints for information on the issue and those who plan to stay in at-risk areas have received iodine pills.

Mr Jurin said, however, that iodine tablets will no longer be given to departing passengers but they will receive printed instructions on the subject on board their aircraft on how to live during the radiation crisis.

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Thailand detects low-level radiation in vegetables from Japan
TNA 2011-03-31

BANGKOK, March 31 - Thailand's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Thursday said a low-level of radiation was found in one kilogramme of vegetables carried by a Thai traveller who returned from Japan.

The agency warned Thai travellers not to take fruit or vegetables from Japan with them due to possible radiation risk contamination in fresh produce.

FDA Secretary-General Dr Pipat Yingseri said the agency has monitored radiation contamination in samples of food imported from Japan since March 15 and on Tuesday radioactive contamination was found in one kilogramme of vegetables carried by the passenger.

The contaminated vegetables were confiscated for the safety of consumers although the level of radiation was well below the safe limit, the FDA chief said.

Dr Pipat also urged those returning from Japan not to import any fruits and vegetables during this period as they may be contaminated by radiation.

The FDA chief reported that as of today, 139 samples of food products imported from Japan have passed the radiation contamination screen at the Office of Atoms for Peace (OAP), 122 of them were found to be normal.

The agency has upgraded its monitoring of food imports as the radiation crisis there is worsening, Dr Pipat said.

He also asked for cooperation from importers to be more cautious on the import of food from Japan’s Honshu island, as well as refrain from distributing the products until they receive testing results from the FDA. (MCOT online news).

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Japanese vegetable contaminated: FDA
By The Nation
2011-04-01

Radioactive contamination has been detected in udo - a type of Japanese vegetable -brought into Thailand by Japanese passengers. Thais are advised not to eat it, regardless of the source, the Food and Drugs Administration warned yesterday.

Although the contamination level is within safe limits, eating udo or bringing it back to Thailand is not advised, said FDA secretarygeneral Phiphat Yingseri.

"Those passengers carrying a few kilos of Japanese food may enjoy leniency… but those who carry them in large amounts should be ready for inspection and quarantine," he added.

Except for seafood, FDA officials are ready to inspect and quarantine Japanese food found to be contaminated at supermarkets and restaurants that sell imported food from Japan, he said.

Phiphat called on importers of ingredients from Japan to cooperate with FDA officials visiting their business premises or warehouses.

The FDA has inspected 139 samples of food and ingredients imported from Japan.

Inspections of 122 samples, including a 21tonne lot of skipjack tuna, had been completed by 12.30pm yesterday, and all were found to be safe.