Health Alert: Japanese Food May Be Contaminated with Radiation

Like on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Google+ Share on LinkedIn Pin to Pinterest Share on StumbleUpon +

Perhaps the biggest news that can cause us some level of worry would be the explosion at Japan’s Fukushima nuclear power plant. Despite what officials are saying, that the level of radiation released is at the minimum, there’s still the risk that food items there could be contaminated with radiation.

Ingestion of food and drinks that have been contaminated with radiation increases the risks of developing cancer in later years. Cows that graze on grass contaminated with radioactive iodine also produce milk that is tainted. Children and babies are the most susceptible since they are the biggest consumer of milk and milk products. That’s’ why there’s been an increased efforts of several government agencies to keep watch on the food imported from Japan.

For example, Malaysia’s health ministry is requiring all of their imports coming from Japan to certify that it is radiation-free. Other countries such as Hong Kong, Singapore, and the Philippines are also following suit. Despite what Japanese officials are saying, that the contamination isn’t that serious enough, the mere fact that radiation was released into the air makes even more important to monitor the quality of food that enters these countries.

News such as this makes it even more important for US agencies to step up their inspection and testing routines in order to prevent tainted food stuffs from entering the country. One of the biggest threats posed by radioactively contaminated foods would be thyroid cancer, bone cancer, and leukemia. Also, men and women who were exposed to high levels of radiation often develop sterility.

To avoid such risks, proper checking and certification of imported Japanese food should be even more enforced. This may sound like overkill, but the risks involved, isn’t something that you can just ignore. Children, infants, and even adults are all at risk from radiation exposure. Being wary isn’t that bad at all.

You too can help, check out these links for ways to help:

Like on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Google+ Share on LinkedIn Pin to Pinterest Share on StumbleUpon +

Comments

comments